Chelsea and Los Angeles FC are set to face each other at Atlanta`s Mercedes-Benz Arena in the Club World Cup. Chelsea qualified for the tournament by winning the UEFA Champions League in 2021. Although many changes have occurred at Chelsea since that victory, interestingly, LAFC`s squad features Olivier Giroud, meaning they have as many players from Thomas Tuchel`s 2021 final squad as Chelsea currently do, with Reece James captaining the Blues.
LAFC`s qualification for the tournament was somewhat more unusual. They gained entry after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld FIFA`s decision barring Leon due to shared ownership issues with Pachuca. LAFC then secured their spot by winning a dramatic playoff against Club America, thanks to Denis Bouanga`s goal in the 115th minute. This makes Steve Cherundolo`s team the third MLS club to participate in the Club World Cup.
To advance past the group stage, LAFC will need to overcome Esperance de Tunis and a strong Flamengo team. Chelsea are considered heavy favorites to finish first in the group.
Match Details
- Date: Monday, June 16
- Time: 5 p.m. ET
- Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium — Atlanta, GA
- Live stream: Watch on DAZN (for free)
- Odds: Chelsea: -333; Draw +400; LAFC +850
Last Meeting
This marks the first-ever competitive match between Chelsea and LAFC.
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea: Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella; Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo; Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto; Nicolas Jackson
LAFC: Hugo Lloris; Sergi Palencia, Aaron Long, Maxime Chanot, Ryan Hollingshead; Igor Jesus, Tillman, Mark Delgado; Denis Bouanga, Oliver Giroud, Yaw Yeboah
Player to Watch
Olivier Giroud, LAFC: The former Chelsea forward has had a modest start to his MLS career with LAFC, scoring five goals in 33 appearances. However, being only 14 games into his current season, Giroud sees this match as an opportunity against former teammates who are coming off a long European campaign. He commented, `These European, top European teams, they will maybe feel a bit tired after a long season, so it may be an advantage. It`s always nice to stay positive. Some of them have played 60, 70, 75 games already, so I think that`s a good test for the MLS teams. We need to grab that chance to show Europe what we`re made of.`
Storyline to Watch
Can Delap end the No. 9 curse? Liam Delap, a former Ipswich striker recently signed by Chelsea, joins the squad for the Club World Cup. He takes the number 9 shirt, famously worn without much success by several Chelsea forwards including Gonzalo Higuain, Fernando Torres, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. There`s anticipation and pressure on Delap, who was sought after by other Premier League clubs this summer, to reverse this trend and find scoring success.
Prediction
Chelsea`s squad likely benefited from rest, and their careful, possession-focused style could be effective in this tournament. They are expected to start strongly. Prediction: Chelsea 3, LAFC 0.
Latest News Highlights
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