For Paris Saint-Germain, reaching the final in their debut year is a notable achievement, but Luis Enrique and his team have clearly come to win. A dominant performance against Real Madrid in the semi-finals showcased their intent, and Chelsea will need to be at their best to stop a team that is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with in world football.
Luis Enrique had previously stated that PSG would be a more fluid and coherent team without any superstar players, and this has proven true, with players like Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue emerging from the shadows of their more famous teammates to drive the Parisians forward.
Chelsea, on the other hand, has quietly eased into the final, despite a 3-1 loss to Flamengo. They have comfortably beaten LAFC, ES Tunis, Benfica, Palmeiras, and Fluminense, showcasing their attacking prowess and Enzo Maresca's style of play, which mirrors Luis Enrique's in its emphasis on expansive and attacking football with a high press.
The MetLife Stadium, with a capacity of 82,500, is set to be packed to the rafters for this all-European encounter, and it will be interesting to see Enzo Maresca's starting lineup, particularly with the emergence of Joao Pedro in the semi-finals.
Enzo Maresca may have been tempted to start Joao Pedro in the final had it not been for the suspension of Liam Delap, but Pedro's stunning performance in the semi-finals has certainly staked his claim to start again on Sunday. His all-round performance was full of verve and promise, and he brings something extra to the table, perhaps more in line with Chelsea's playing style.
Of course, there is a huge reliance on midfielders Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, as well as the trickery of Cole Palmer, who has been immense throughout the tournament. His 14 passes in the final third against Fluminense were amongst the best on show, and he created four chances and had a 89.8% pass accuracy, making him a player to watch for PSG.
PSG, on the other hand, has passer supreme Vitinha in their ranks, and it is imperative that Chelsea do not allow him to dictate the flow of the game, particularly in the early stages. He has made over 200 more passes than any other player in the tournament, and is the man who makes things tick for PSG.
Against Real Madrid, he totted up 121 touches in the game, with 112 of those being passes, giving him a 92.9% pass completion stat. Coupled with Fabian Ruiz's 93.4% and Joao Neves' 97% accuracy, Chelsea are going to have their work cut out to stop their opponents from running rings around them in midfield.
Dembele, Doue, and Bradley Barcola are certainly players to watch, having been in sensational form throughout the 2024/25 season. However, Cole Palmer's ball-playing abilities and trickery should not be ignored by PSG at their peril. After a slow start to the calendar year, he has picked the perfect time to find his form, with 100% pass completion in the semi-finals.
Against Fluminense, he won back possession on five separate occasions and won as many tackles as every other Chelsea player in the match. Pedro Neto is another player to keep an eye on, with six dribbles in the last game and a perfect pass completion stat.
Frankly, this CWC final is a fascinating encounter for so many reasons. On paper, PSG have the better team and are in the form of their lives, but Chelsea had a fine end to the season by winning the Conference League final and have qualified for Champions League football once again.
Scoring early is vital in order to be able to stamp authority on the game, and Chelsea need to be on their guard as PSG have scored three in the first 15 minutes of the first half of their CWC games. Only Manchester City have scored more.
Interestingly, PSG have scored in five of their six games at the tournament, and only Chelsea have scored in more matches. Luis Enrique's side have also kept a clean sheet in five of their six matches, which is more than any other team at the CWC.
Will reigning Champions League winners triumph again? This competition has almost always seen the reigning Champions League winner take the crown, but favourites do not always win. What is certain is that Sunday will provide some brilliant football and entertainment to enjoy.
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