Palmeiras vs Chelsea: Key Player Suspended for Huge Club World Cup Quarter-Final
Eight teams will do battle in the quarter-finals stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup this weekend.
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The Round of 16 stage came with its fair share of surprises after top teams, led by favourites Manchester City, were knocked out.
Chelsea set up a match against Palmeiras after seeing off Benfica, while their opponents beat fellow Brazilian side Botafogo by a solitary goal.
Another Brazilian side, Fluminense, qualified after stunning this season's UEFA Champions League finalists, Inter Milan, 2-0. For their troubles, they will play Al Hilal, who produced the result of the tournament by eliminating Manchester City.
European champions Paris Saint-Germain will play Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 2020 Champions League final. PSG beat Lionel Messi's Inter Miami while the Bavarians saw off a stubborn Flamengo.
The last matchup will see the most successful European club, Real Madrid, play Borussia Dortmund. Xabi Alonso's men were victorious against Juventus as Dortmund denied Madrid a chance of coming up against their former captain, Sergio Ramos and his Monterrey side.
The Blues have the easiest route to the final on paper, but will be wary of the 'smaller' teams that have so far caused upsets in the United States.
Against Palmeiras, Enzo Maresca will have to make do without one of his most reliable players in Moises Caicedo.
Caicedo picked up a yellow card in that gutsy win over Benfica, his second at the tournament, which carries an automatic one-match suspension.
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The Ecuadorian picked up his first booking in the 3-1 loss to Flamengo in the group stage.
The 23-year-old is one of the most dependable players in Maresca's system and is always the first name on the teamsheet.
Caicedo was the only player who featured in all the 38 Premier League matches for Chelsea as they finished fourth to secure a return to the Champions League.
He also chipped in with two goals and six assists and was among the top three players who won the most duels in the Premier League.
In a related report, Chelsea's game against Benfica went for four hours as the Blues ran out 4-1 victors to qualify for the quarter-finals.
The West Londoners were on the cusp of qualification thanks to a devilish Reece James free-kick, but the game was interrupted with only five minutes left.
It took over two hours before the game finally resumed with Angel Di Maria scoring a stoppage-time penalty to force extra time.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
