In the high-stakes final of the inaugural expanded Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium, Chelsea delivered a performance that was not just dominant, but strategically brilliant. Facing Paris Saint-Germain, a team renowned for its aggressive, high-pressing style that suffocates opponents and yields early goals, Chelsea decided to fight fire with fire – and added their own unexpected twist.
PSG`s signature has been overwhelming teams from the whistle, pressing intensely and capitalizing on space to build quick, insurmountable leads. They demonstrated this effectively en route to the final. On this Sunday, however, the script was flipped. Chelsea adopted a similar, high-intensity press right from the start, setting a tone that immediately put PSG on the back foot.
As Chelsea`s Levi Colwill noted post-match, the intention was clear: “Going into the game straightaway, we set the tone… We pressed the life out of them.” This relentless early pressure paid dividends rapidly. By the half-hour mark, Chelsea held a commanding 2-0 lead courtesy of a quick brace from Cole Palmer. Before halftime, Joao Pedro added a third, effectively putting the game beyond PSG`s reach and mirroring, ironically, the very scenario PSG often inflicts upon its adversaries.
PSG players, unaccustomed to being on the receiving end of such early and intense pressure, visibly fatigued. Frustration mounted, culminating in moments like Joao Neves` late red card and a post-match disagreement involving PSG manager Luis Enrique and Joao Pedro. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca explained the tactical necessity, stating, “I think that PSG are a team that, you either press them high or you`ll be in trouble because they have so many talented players.”
However, Chelsea`s approach wasn`t a carbon copy. While pressing high, they surprisingly ceded possession, finishing the match with just 34%. This wasn`t passive defense; it was a calculated move. Instead of dominating the ball, Chelsea focused on efficiency in attack, outshooting PSG and posting a significantly higher expected goals (xG) tally (2.06 to 0.53). The game plan involved a man-to-man pressing scheme, specifically targeting PSG`s midfield setup to exploit spaces behind them, a strategy Maresca highlighted:
“They have three midfielders… Analyzing them, we saw that was a good opportunity to exploit that space and we used Cole [Palmer] and Malo [Gusto] in that side to create a little bit and overloaded that side and that was just the game plan.”
Leading the line in attack were two key figures. Unsurprisingly, Cole Palmer, the Blues` undoubted star, delivered crucial goals on a major stage, continuing his habit of stepping up in important moments. The bigger revelation was perhaps Joao Pedro. The recent acquisition, barely two weeks after joining from Brighton, netted his third goal in three Chelsea appearances, earning a crucial start in the final. Maresca praised Pedro`s versatility and particular effectiveness:
“Joao, I can say, is an amazing player. We can really use him with teams that defend in a very low block with no spaces because he`s really good in tight spaces.”
This Club World Cup victory provides a significant moment of clarity and validation for Chelsea, a club that has undergone substantial roster changes and strategic shifts under its current ownership. Amidst the ongoing process of building and refining the squad, this performance demonstrates the immense potential within the current group of players and the tactical acumen of Enzo Maresca. It shows that the belief in these rising talents is well-placed.
For now, however, the focus shifts from tactical boards and transfer discussions to a well-earned rest. As Maresca aptly put it after securing the fantastic trophy: “About the future, fortunately, I have three weeks` vacation now because that`s all I want. It`s been 15 months nonstop, and then we`ll see what happens next season.”
Chelsea`s win wasn`t just about lifting a trophy; it was a tactical statement, proving they can adapt, innovate, and beat even Europe`s most feared teams by cleverly turning their own strengths against them.
