Fluminense are enjoying their underdog status at the FIFA Club World Cup, ahead of a fateful semi-final against Chelsea. Coach Renato Gaucho's journey is trying to channel the "us against the world " mentality that has propelled the Brazilian side on such an unlikely.
The Rio de Janeiro side arrived in the US with Opta giving them just a 0.05% chance of winning the title and were initially tipped to be eliminated in the group stage. However, Fluminense defied all odds, finishing second in Group F after drawing with Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns and beating Ulsan Hyundai to qualify.
Fluminense are causing a big surprise at the FIFA Club World Cup (Photo: Getty).
Renato has transformed the club from a relegation struggler into a force to be reckoned with in just three months. Under the 62-year-old's skillful guidance, Fluminense defeated Champions League runners-up Inter Milan in the round of 16 and Al Hilal in the quarter-finals.
"When I say we are the ugly duckling, with all due respect to the other clubs, I am talking about our financial situation. Fluminense is only 10% of the financial size of these big clubs. So these big clubs have all the resources to sign the best players," Renato shared.
Despite the financial disparity, Renato believes the team's attitude and focus are key factors in their remarkable journey.
"What got Fluminense to the semi-finals was the attitude of my team on the pitch, the focus, the determination and the hard work of the whole team," he asserted. The Brazilian tactician is meticulously planning the confrontation with Chelsea, describing the match at MetLife Stadium (New Jersey, USA) as "a chess game" that will be decided by tactical discipline.
Renato said: "It will be a game that requires patience. We will be careful. Of course, ball control will be important, especially at 3pm, when the game starts. The temperature will be very uncomfortable. If you have to keep chasing the opponent, if you don't control the ball, you will exhaust yourself.
We have a lot of respect for Chelsea, but it's a game of chess. You can be sure that it will be a tight game, at least in my opinion, with very few chances. And whoever makes the most of all the data will definitely be the winner."
Renato said Fluminense will look to nullify Chelsea's key players while trying to keep possession and play their own game to continue their impressive run.
Coach Renato Gaucho tactics believes will decide the outcome of the Chelsea - Fluminense match (Photo: Getty).
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has praised the quality of Brazilian football ahead of their third game against Brazil, having lost 3-1 to Flamengo in the group stage and beaten Palmeiras 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
"The quality of the Brazilian players is probably top, the best quality," said Maresca, once again highlighting the gap in fitness between the new South American teams and the exhausted European players coming off their club seasons.
"There are two things that for me are very clear in the two games we have faced against Brazilian teams. One is the quality, but at the same time it is very clear about the energy they have, for different reasons, and we don't. Top quality and also very good defending. So it will be a difficult game," Maresca added.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/fluminense-muon-choi-co-vua-voi-chelsea-20250708122401902.htm
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