Chelsea won’t be facing Arsenal this weekend, as their London derby has been postponed, but they will be playing for a trophy instead. No matter what you think of the FIFA Club World Cup, and judging by the reaction I typically receive when writing about this topic, you don’t really think about the FIFA Club World Cup, this is still a matchup for silverware.
The Blues are 90 minutes away from besting Brazilian powerhouse Palmeiras, and with it their first trophy of this season. So let’s take a look at what kind of lineup Thomas Tuchel might put out there on Saturday.
Club World Cup Finals FYIs
Kick: Sat. Feb 11, Chelsea vs Palmeiras
Chelsea Team News: go here
Destination: Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Series History: First ever meeting
Form Guide (all competitions): Chelsea WWWDL Palmeiras WWDWW
Chelsea FA Cup Draw 5th Round Draw Analysis: go here
Lukaku scored the only goal in the last round, so we’re picking him to lead the line here again. Edouard Mendy is back, and Tuchel is reportedly thinking about giving him the nod in between the sticks. However, Kepa has been in form a lot, lately, so why mess with a good thing?
This seems to be a good competition for him.
Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction vs Palmeiras (Club World Club)
Kepa Arrizabalaga; Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva, Andreas Christensen; Cesar Azpilicueta, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Marcos Alonso; Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Romelu Lukaku
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.