Chelsea on the threshold of history

Chelsea entered the Club World Cup final as underdogs, but were not afraid of the mighty PSG.

Chelsea transformed under Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea have earned more than £80m from their Club World Cup campaign - an impressive haul for any club - but when the ball rolls around the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the money is a byproduct.

The Ultimate Challenge

Before Enzo Maresca and his team is the opportunity to write a new chapter in a challenging rejuvenation journey: defeat Paris Saint-Germain - the strongest team in the world at the moment - to become world champions at club level.

If we look at the balance of power, Chelsea is clearly the underdog. PSG not only has a young and energetic squad but also depth, experience and an outstanding coach like Luis Enrique.

PSG have defeated giants like Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa and just destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 in the past. That is destructive football - the kind that if it were to be reproduced in the final, perhaps only a miracle would help Chelsea survive.

But football is more than just numbers or star names. Maresca's Chelsea come into this game with something PSG once had but no longer have - the ravenous hunger of young men who have never had their hands on great glory.

Chelsea don't have superstars at the moment, but they are a cohesive group.

At Stamford Bridge now, there are no more flashy contracts, no more shocking spending sprees. Instead, there is a clear philosophy: put your trust in young players, build a style of play with identity and stick to a long-term strategy, regardless of outside pressure.

In the 2023/24 season, Chelsea only finished 12th in the Premier League - a terrible result for a club that is used to being at the top. But instead of changing the coach or changing the entire project, Chelsea's board chose to persevere.

The London club did not fire their coach mid-season, nor did they panic in the transfer market. They brought in Enzo Maresca - a strategist with modern tactical thinking and influence from the positional play school.

Maresca didn’t “work magic”, but he breathed new life into Chelsea’s youthful squad. They played together, with a clear system, and were not afraid of stronger opponents. “We fear no one,” centre-back Levi Colwill declared before the game. And it wasn’t just propaganda – Chelsea proved it with solid performances throughout the tournament.

How to survive against PSG?

Of course, beating PSG is a different story entirely. Chelsea must find a way to survive the intense pressing of their opponents, while remaining faithful to their style of play that controls the ball from the back.

Chelsea have no intention of 'parking the bus'. As Colwill said: “We got here because of our style of play - there's no reason to change.”

Chelsea determined to beat PSG.

The difficulty is whether Chelsea have enough resources to implement that philosophy? Romeo Lavia is likely to be absent, and Moises Caicedo is suffering from a minor injury. If both cannot start, the burden in midfield will fall entirely on Enzo Fernandez. Meanwhile, PSG have a deep and creative midfield squad with João Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz.

The problem is not just in midfield. Chelsea also have to deal with PSG's fast and explosive wing duo - Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. Just a moment of lapse in concentration and Chelsea can be torn apart.

Maresca, however, has no intention of changing his identity. “Who says we have to suffer?” he retorted at a press conference. “Every game is different. We will play our football.”

And Chelsea are not short of weapons to counter-attack. Cole Palmer is in good form, Pedro Neto and Liam Delap are ready to seize the opportunity on the counter-attack.

Joao Pedro - who scored a superb double against Fluminense in the semi-finals - is also a big hope. Chelsea do not have A-list superstars, but they have a young, daring and most importantly... fearless team.

While PSG are the “finished” version of the rejuvenation model, Chelsea are still in the early stages. But that could be their advantage – the recklessness, the “nothing to lose” mentality and the desire to prove their worth. They don’t need to win with prestige, but with ideals.

Victory may not come. PSG are too strong and too experienced. But if Chelsea can hold out, press well and exploit the gaps behind their opponents' high defence - they could well pull off a surprise.

One match, one title, but it could be the turning point of a new dynasty at Chelsea. If they win, this team will not only have the World Cup, but also the biggest affirmation: the path they have chosen is the right one.

And whatever the outcome, one thing is undeniable: Chelsea are being reborn, not with money, but with ideals and belief. They are not going fast, but perhaps they are going further than many people think.

Source: https://znews.vn/chelsea-truoc-nguong-cua-lich-su-post1568123.html