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Chelsea and Fluminense meet today at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in a blockbuster semifinal clash at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Both clubs are riding momentum from their quarterfinal victories. Chelsea outclassed Palmeiras in a 2–1 win with superior ball control and attacking structure, while Fluminense shut down Al-Hilal with a composed, defensive performance.
With a spot in the final on the line, expect intensity, tactical nuance and high-level execution from both sides.
After a rocky start to the tournament that included a group stage loss to Flamengo, Chelsea has turned things around under manager Enzo Maresca. They’ve now won four of their last five Club World Cup matches, with their possession-heavy style paying dividends. Chelsea advanced past Benfica in extra time before outclassing Palmeiras behind excellent midfield control and sharp finishing.
The team has been powered by rising stars like Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku, as Chelsea looks balanced, confident and hungry for silverware.
Fluminense, the last South American team left in the competition, is unbeaten in the tournament and continues to embrace its underdog role. Their path to the semifinal has been built on defensive resilience and timely goals. After a strong group stage, Fluminense knocked out Inter Milan and then Al-Hilal without conceding a goal.
Veteran Thiago Silva, the former Chelsea legend, is facing his former club and anchors a defense for Fluminense that has grown more organized as the tournament has progressed. Veteran leadership from Silva and tactical discipline have been the core of their success. However, the suspension of their quarterfinal goalscorer Matheus Martinelli for this semifinal could seriously limit their attacking options. Manager Renato Gaucho will need to find creative solutions to maintain their edge against a technically superior Chelsea squad.
This semifinal is likely to be a tactical chess match. Chelsea will aim to dominate possession and control the tempo through their midfield of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea is averaging 7.2 corners per game at the tournament, so look for them to capitalize on set pieces and wide play. Fluminense will look to stay compact defensively and strike on the counter, but with a creative starter suspended, their ability to break Chelsea down becomes much more questionable.
Fluminense’s strength lies in their cohesion and structure, but they have struggled to consistently generate scoring chances against elite European defenses. Chelsea, on the other hand, has grown into the tournament and now resembles a confident, fluid unit with depth and attacking balance. Cole Palmer has emerged as Chelsea’s most consistent attacking threat throughout the Club World Cup. He scored in the quarterfinal win over Palmeiras and notched an assist in the victory over Benfica, showing both composure and creativity in big moments. Palmer is Chelsea’s go-to playmaker, as well as their penalty taker. There’s a good chance that he will be operating in advanced spaces where he can create scoring chances and find the back of the net himself.
With Martinelli suspended and Fluminense’s defense focused on maintaining shape, Palmer should find room to operate in dangerous areas. His chemistry with Pedro Neto and Nkunku continues to improve, and he is expected to play the full 90 minutes in this critical matchup. Given Chelsea’s ability to dictate play and Palmer’s current form and confidence, the young Englishman is poised to score in a game that could be decided by a single moment of quality.
Ian is a lifelong sports fan and Temple University graduate who specializes in the NFL, NBA, MLB and European Soccer and is a diehard Philly sports fan.