Chelsea became the newly-crowned champions of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with a superb 3-0 final win Paris Saint-Germain at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The Blues fired home three first-half goals, with PSG simply unable to respond, as Cole Palmer scored a brace and then assisted Chelsea’s third from the on-form Joao Pedro.
Speaking after Chelsea’s victory, head coach Enzo Maresca heaped praise on Palmer, while revealing how his side had planned to beat PSG.
“These are the games we expect Cole Palmer to appear in and once again he showed what he’s made of,” as per Reuters.
“The idea was go man-to-man because if you leave spaces to PSG they will kill you. We tried to be very aggressive and suffocate them early on and that intensity was crucial in the first 10 minutes due to the scorching heat, that were really difficult conditions to play in as the game progressed.”
Maresca also shared his wider views on the controversial Club World Cup, claiming the competition can be ‘as important, or even more important, than the Champions League.’
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What did Enzo Maresca say about the Club World Cup?
The competition has been on the receiving end of criticism before a ball was kicked in the USA, due to its relevance and timing, as it interferes with players’ rest in between seasons, alongside a host of other factors.
Chelsea have cleared benefitted from it, not just via another trophy win for Maresca, but also in a major financial boost for the club.
“I feel this competition [the Club World Cup] will be as important or even more important than the Champions League. I was lucky enough to be part of a coaching staff [at Manchester City] that won the Champions League three years ago, but this competition features the best clubs in the world.
“That’s why we value it as much as the Champions League, or perhaps even more. For us, it was a great triumph. Allowing Chelsea fans to wear that world champion patch on their shirts is a source of pride for us.”
The next edition of the Club World Cup will be held in 2029, where PSG and three other teams have already earned their spot.
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