Youthful Chelsea ready for Thiago Silva reunion at Club World Cup
Chelsea's young side are targeting a place in the final of the Club World Cup when they take on Fluminense in the last four on Tuesday, with the Brazilian team marshalled by former Blues defender Thiago Silva who is still going strong at the age of 40.
Silva was already a veteran when he signed for Chelsea in 2020 before going on to have an impressive four-year stint at Stamford Bridge.
Advertisement
One of the finest centre-backs of his generation, Silva arrived after eight years at Paris Saint-Germain and in his first season at Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League.
He played 155 games for the London club and left 12 months ago after helping oversee the development of some of the young talents now featuring regularly under Enzo Maresca.
"He's a legend of football, a top player," Marc Cucurella, a teammate of Silva's for two years, told English media, adding that the two had exchanged messages about their impending reunion.
"We have the opportunity to play against him again and hopefully we can do good things, win this game and play in the final."
Advertisement
Silva initially made his name at Fluminense, featuring in the team that reached the Copa Libertadores final in 2008 before losing to LDU Quito of Ecuador.
He returned there upon leaving Chelsea, once again pulling on the green, red and white of the Rio de Janeiro outfit who won the Copa Libertadores in 2023.
The evergreen Brazil international was then reunited earlier this year with Renato Gaucho, the coach in 2008 who is now in his sixth spell in charge.
An impressive run at the Club World Cup has seen Fluminense hold Borussia Dortmund in the group stage, eliminate Inter Milan in the last 16 and get the better of Saudi powerhouse Al Hilal in the quarter-finals.
Advertisement
"If you had asked me beforehand if we would have got this far I would have said we were a long way away from doing so," Silva told broadcaster DAZN after the victory over Al Hilal.
"We know the financial size of these teams, the difference is enormous, absurd. But often our collective, the family atmosphere that we have, gives us strength that you maybe don't think you have."
- Brazilian opposition again -
It is not just Silva raising the average age at Fluminense. There is also 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio, wing-back Samuel Xavier at 35 and 37-year-old Argentine forward German Cano.
Advertisement
But the man giving them the X-factor is 27-year-old Colombian winger Jhon Arias, unquestionably one of the players of the tournament.
"I have watched some games that they have played and you can see that they are very well organised. They have some very good players. The manager is doing a fantastic job," Maresca said as he prepares to face Brazilian opposition for the third time at the tournament.
They lost to Flamengo in the group stage but beat Palmeiras in the quarter-finals in Philadelphia.
"The energy from Brazilian teams in this competition has been high -- probably the reason why is because they are at the start of their season while we are finished the season," Maresca added.
Advertisement
Chelsea now get their first taste of the MetLife Stadium, the hulking 82,500-capacity venue in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside New York City.
Many of Maresca's players may not have been sure what to make of FIFA's new tournament which came at the end of a campaign in which they finished fourth in the Premier League and won the UEFA Conference League.
But suddenly they stand one game from the final, in which they would face either Real Madrid or PSG.
With Silva gone, Maresca has been working with a young squad at Chelsea, and the average age of his starting line-up against Palmeiras last Friday was just 24.
Advertisement
There are more young players coming in too, with 23-year-old Brazilian forward Joao Pedro, formerly of Fluminense, making his debut in the quarter-finals.
Brazil prodigy Estevao Willian, 18, will join from Palmeiras ahead of next season and 20-year-old winger Jamie Gittens has just signed from Borussia Dortmund.
Moises Caicedo, the midfield linchpin who is still only 23, will return to the midfield against Fluminense after suspension.
as/dh
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
2025 UEFA Women's Euro Odds: Spain Remains Favorite
Soccer fans, the wait is over. The 2025 UEFA Women's Euro is officially underway, with Matchday 2 of the group stage concluded. The 14th edition of the tournament, hosted by Switzerland, is held every four years. It features 16 national teams from across Europe competing for the continental title in stadiums throughout Switzerland, culminating in the final on July 27. Can England, the reigning champion after its 2022 victory, defend its title? Or will reigning World Cup champions Spain take home the glory? Let's dive into the odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 7. 2025 UEFA Women's Euro odds Spain: -120 (bet $10 to win $18.33 total)Germany: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)France: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)England: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Sweden: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Norway: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)Netherlands: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)Italy: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Switzerland: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Denmark: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Portugal: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Belgium: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Wales: +45000 (bet $10 to win $4,510 total)Finland: +45000 (bet $10 to win $4,510 total)Poland: +95000 (bet $10 to win $9,510 total) Spain opened as the favorite to win the UEFA Women's Euro and remains at the top after winning its first two group stage matches. With odds of -120, Spain has a significant edge over Germany, which sits at +500. Spain recently clinched the inaugural Nations League title in Feb. 2024, defeating France 2-0 in the final. While Spain is yet to reach the Euro finals, it has advanced to the quarterfinals in the last three tournaments. With a stellar roster featuring two-time Ballon d'Or Féminin winner Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Mariona Caldentey, Laia Aleixandri, Irene Paredes, Esther González, Ona Batlle and Patri Guijarro, Spain is poised to be in excellent form. Germany, the most decorated team with eight titles, won six consecutively from 1995 to 2013. It also claimed Olympic Gold in 2016 and two FIFA Women's World Cups. France closely trails with +550 odds. In the last UEFA Women's Euros, France reached the semifinals, losing to Spain, and was the runner-up in the inaugural Nations League in 2024, again falling to the Spaniards. Defending champion England, aiming for its second UEFA Women's Euro title, lost its first match and is currently in fourth place with +750 odds. The 2025 UEFA Women's Euro final will take place on July 27 at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland. Of the 16 qualified teams, 14 have participated in previous UEFA Women's Euros, with Poland and Wales making their debut this year. Aside from Germany, Norway has won two titles, while Sweden, England and the Netherlands each have one win to their names. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Club World Cup Futures Odds, Best Bets: PSG Favorites Entering Semifinals
Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi and PSG are the betting favorites to win the Club World Cup going into the semifinals. Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi and PSG are the betting favorites to win the Club World Cup going into the semifinals. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Just three games are left in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup: Chelsea vs. Fluminense and Paris St. Germain vs. Real Madrid in the semifinals on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Club World Cup Final this Sunday, Juy 13, at 7 p.m. ET. PSG are unsurprisingly favored to win their fourth major trophy of the 2024-25 campaign after winning the Champions League, Ligue 1 and Coupe de France earlier this year. But Real Madrid and Chelsea are also getting plenty of respect from oddsmakers. Brazilian side Fluminense, on the other hand, is a heavy underdog at longer than 10-to-1 odds. Club World Cup Semifinal Odds, Schedule Below is the schedule for the Club World Cup semifinals, plus the three-way moneyline odds (via DraftKings as of July 7) for both Fluminense vs. Chelsea and PSG vs. Real Madrid. Fluminense vs. Chelsea, Tuesday, 3 p.m. ET (FLU +425 // Draw +275 // CHE -145) PSG vs. Real Madrid, Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET (PSG +135 // Draw +265 // RM +190) Club World Cup Winner Odds: PSG, RM Favored DK FD bet365 PSG +140 +135 +137 Real Madrid +175 +175 +187 Chelsea +275 +280 +275 Fluminense +1400 +1300 +1200 Anyone who has been watching the Club World Cup should not be surprised by how oddsmakers see the remaining field. PSG is a young team that is light on Lionel Messi-level stars, but Manager Luis Enrique's squad is loaded, and it has been dominant for months now. After beating Bayern Munich despite losing two players to red cards for the final minutes of that match, the Ligue 1 club offers a ton of value at plus-money. Obviously, Real Madrid and Chelsea are elite clubs with few real weaknesses of their own. Both could conceivably take PSG to extra time and/or PKs, where anything could happen. Club World Cup Prediction, Best Bets At this point, I'm not going to believe that anyone* is beating this PSG squad until I see it. Remember, PSG not only took down Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Inter Milan in Champions League knockout play this spring, but they did so in dominant fashion. In their wins against Arsenal in the UCL semis and Inter Milan in the final, this young, balanced roster looked capable of piling up several trophies in the years to come. One major concern for PSG right now is how it will fare vs. Real Madrid without two defenders. Both backup left back Lucas Hernandez and starting center back Willian Pacho will miss the CWC semifinal after being issued red cards in the quarterfinal win over Bayern Munich. Regular starter Nuno Mendes will be available at left back vs. RM, but 21-year-old CB Lucas Beraldo will be under a ton of pressure. He is expected to fill in for Pacho because top backup Presnel Kimpembe's status is uncertain due to a long-term injury. Real Madrid will be dealing with a suspension of its own: recently signed center back Dean Huijsen saw red in the closing minutes of Los Blancos' win over Borussia Dortmund for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity in the 96th minute. We'll have more on the matchup between superstar Kylian Mbappe's former team (PSG) and his current one (Real Madrid) later this week. For right now, though, we're going with PSG to notch yet another impressive win over a top opponent. While beating Real Madrid in the semis and (presumably) Chelsea in the final to raise the Club World Cup trophy will be a challenge, the most obvious pick at this point feels like the right one: PSG To Win Club World Cup (+140 at DK) -- 1 unit. Anyone looking for more upside should consider Chelsea. The Blues get a favorable semifinal matchup vs. Fluminense (which is currently in sixth place after a 6-2-3 start to the 2025 Brazilian Serie A campaign). If they advance as expected to the final, they'll have a solid chance against either PSG or Real Madrid. While I'm sticking with the chalk, I don't blame anyone who's tempted to wager a quarter-unit or so on Chelsea at nearly 3-to-1 odds right now. *Actually, it should be noted here that Botafogo stunned the Parisians in group play of this tournament. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jamal Musiala Injury Update- When Will Bayern Munich Star Return?
Jamal Musiala Injury Update- When Will Bayern Munich Star Return? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Bayern Munich fans are already worried ahead of next season as one of their most important players, Jamal Musiala, suffered an ankle injury in the FIFA Club World Cup. After being brought down by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the PSG vs Bayern match, many wondered if the injury was severe. Advertisement By the looks of both PSG and Bayern players around Musiala, many believed the player would be missing the entirety of next season. Bayern Munich confirmed that Musiala suffered a fractured fibula as a result of an ankle dislocation. BILD reported that the injury could leave him out for around four to five months, which is less than what many fans expected. The German club has announced an update on the German star who is set to start his recovery. Bayern Munich on Jamal Musiala's injury Bayern Munich published a brief statement in regards to Jamal Musiala's injury. After announcing that the player suffered a fractured fibula, the club also informed that the player would require surgery. The club announced that Musiala has undergone a successful surgery. Bayern Munich: "Jamal Musiala has undergone successful surgery after returning from the Club World Cup in the USA. In the quarter-final between FC Bayern and Paris St. Germain, the 22-year-old attacking player suffered a fractured fibula as a result of a broken and dislocated ankle and was substituted at half-time. He will begin his first rehabilitation sessions tomorrow, Tuesday, and will be unavailable to the German record champions for the next few months." Advertisement BILD reported that Musiala flew back to Munich separately from the rest of the team. Bayern reportedly ordered a private air ambulance for a quick return. Musiala is expected to return fully fit around December or January 2026. Donnarumma faced backlash over Musiala's injury After the PSG vs Bayern game this past weekend, many criticized Donnarumma for his challenge on Musiala, which caused the injury. Manuel Neuer revealed his frustration with the Italian goalkeeper and explained what he said to him after the game. Manuel Neuer: "It was a situation where you don't have to go in like that. That's risk-taking. He [Donnarumma] was prepared to accept the risk of injuring his opponent. I went to him and said, 'Don't you want to go and see our player?' It's a matter of respect, of going there and wishing the guy all the best. He then did it. Fairplay is always a part of it. I would have reacted differently." Former Bayern Munich player Rafinha revealed on Sport TV the reactions of most Bayern Munich players towards Donnarumma for injuring Musiala. The Brazilian explained how Bayern players demanded an apology from Donnarumma. Rafinha: "They were angry because they wanted Donnarumma to at least apologize, since they saw that the injury was serious. After the game, there were heated conversations in the dressing room. The players went to him [Donnarumma] in the PSG dressing room to ask him to apologize; they exchanged some strong words. They demanded that, like a 'code of ethics', at least to apologize, even though he didn't do it on purpose." Related: Stefan Frei Injury Update- First Words Revealed After Horrible Head Crash Related: Handball Controversy: Why Didn't the Referee Award a Penalty For The USMNT Vs Mexico? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
