What: FIFA Club World Cup final
Who: Chelsea vs Corinthians
When: Sunday 16th December, 2012, 10:30 UK Time
Where: International Stadium, Yokohama, Japan

Chelsea Sail into the Final

Chelsea negotiated a very tricky semi-final with Monterrey with some considered style. A flowing move helped them to break the Mexicans open thanks to Juan Mata’s crisp strike and their ability to create chances against their opponents was evident throughout. Monterrey were simply unable to cope with the step up in quality.

There were plenty of positives for Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez. Another goal from Fernando Torres and an impressive all-round performance from the Spaniard was one of the main points of encouragement. David Luiz also played well in central midfield, adding a string to his bow. The trio of Oscar, Eden Hazard and Mata were back together too and relishing the spaces afforded to them by the Mexican side.
 
Now, 90 minutes away from glory, Benitez has many questions to ponder. Bring back Frank Lampard? Keep the attacking trio at the expense of Victor Moses? Play Luiz in midfield again? Oscar for one will be looking forward to the clash, as the former Sao Paulo player has the chance to help beat his old club’s fierce local rivals Corinthians. The Londoners, the first team from the English capital to win the Champions League, can now win their first ever FIFA Club World Cup. Standing between them and that feat are the Copa Libertadores holders.

Brazilian Pride at Stake for Corinthians

As with Santos last year and Internacional the year before that, Corinthians took the opportunity afforded by victory in the Copa Libertadores earlier in 2012 to relax in domestic competitions and prepare for the end of year trip to Japan. They will be hoping to prove a point for Brazil too, after their compatriots’ defeats in the last two editions. In 2010 Internacional were embarrassed by Congolese outfit TP Mazembe and last year Santos were thrashed by Barcelona. Though that happens to most teams, the gulf between the two sides was huge and left Brazilian football asking questions of itself.
 
Corinthians, backed by tens of thousands of their boisterous fans, offer Brazil an opportunity to recover some pride on the global stage, for a part of the world where this competition really means something. The winners of the first Club World Cup in 2000, Corinthians are far from flashy. They do not have the individual stars of some of their main rivals in Brazil, such as Santos, Fluminense, Botafogo and Flamengo, but they do possess a strong work ethic and coach Tite’s organisational skills are hugely impressive.

Chelsea players who pay attention to Corinthians will have noted that Tite was critical of the way they won the Champions League earlier this year. He attacked the defensive style the Blues used to beat Barcelona, but must surely appreciate how Chelsea have changed their set-up (and their manager) since. Corinthians haven’t.
 


Recent form

Chelsea:
Chelsea 6-1 FC Nordsjaellend (05/12; Champions League)
Sunderland 1-3 Chelsea (08/12; Premier League)
Chelsea 3-1 Monterrey (13/12; Club World Cup)

Corinthians:
Corinthians 1-1 Santos (24/11; Brasileiro Serie A)
Sao Paulo 3-1 Corinthians (02/12; Brasileiro Serie A)
Al Ahly 0-1 Corinthians (12/12; Club World Cup)

Key absences

Chelsea: Daniel Sturridge; John Terry; Oriol Romeu

Corinthians: None

Players to watch

Chelsea – Fernando Torres: Torres has now scored five goals in his last three games and there is optimism again that he can develop into a genuine goalscorer for the Londoners. The Spaniard’s all-round game has also been impressive of late, with him playing a key role in a number of the club’s other goals that he hasn’t scored himself. Typical of that was Torres’ brilliant pass with the inside of his right foot which carved apart Monterrey and set Mata through to create the third goal on Thursday. His understanding with Mata is growing by the game and the duo are lethal when on form together.

Corinthians – Paulinho: Paulinho played a key role in Corinthians’ title victory last year and Copa Libertadores success earlier in 2012. He is an energetic, box-to-box midfielder with few weaknesses in his game. He has been linked with a host of European teams, including Arsenal and Chelsea, although strangely he has already left Brazil for Europe and returned once. The first spell ended in controversy as racial harassment whilst with Polish team LKS Lodz forced him back home, but his style has the clear hallmarks of a European influenced player. Paulinho will be keen to make his mark on this final, on what is his first major appearance on the world stage. It may not be too long until his next.

Match Prediction

European teams have beaten South American opposition in four of the last five FIFA Club World Cup finals. They have tended to dominate these games in recent times, although Corinthians are probably the strongest side from South America to play in this competition for a few years and Chelsea are far from the level of previous champions such as Barcelona, Inter Milan and Manchester United. Corinthians are not a typical Brazilian side either. Tite’s men are tactically astute and defensively sound, with a high energy pressing game which their opponents struggle to deal with. They conceded just three goals in twelve games in the Copa Libertadores and it has been suggested they are more English than Chelsea, whose new side borrow much from Brazilian football tradition.

And so this should be a very interesting contest tactically. Benitez’s sides never leave much space between the lines, but neither do Tite’s Corinthians. This game may descend into something similar to the old Chelsea v Liverpool clashes if Benitez brings back Ramires. He and Paulinho are similar in their all-action, energetic approach, allied to technical quality, and with the tenacious Ralf marshalling the Corinthians midfield, this could turn into something of a war of attrition.

Romarinho, not to be confused with Romario’s son of the same name who plays for Vasco da Gama, is one Chelsea will have to keep an eye on. The talented youngster scored in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final and that ability to make an impact on the big stage could be in evidence again in this match; Emerson Sheikh is another threat. For Chelsea, they will be optimistic that Mata, Torres and Hazard can pick holes in a Corinthians defence deprived of one of its stars of the Copa Libertadores campaign, Leandro Castan, since departed for Roma. Expect a very tight game between two evenly matched sides. Corinthians' huge travelling support may just help them edge it. Chelsea 0-1 Corinthians.

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