Chelsea Vs Fluminense: Club World Cup Semi-Final Preview, Predicted Lineups And How To Watch Live

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Chelsea vs Fluminense: Semi-Final Preview, Team News, Suspensions, Lineups & How to Watch

The FIFA Club World Cup is heating up, and now it’s down to the wire. Chelsea take on Brazilian giants Fluminense in a semi-final that promises drama, disruption, and a good old-fashioned South American vs European showdown.

How We Got Here

Chelsea booked their place in the final four by narrowly beating Palmeiras in a tense quarter-final. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done. Meanwhile, Fluminense, now the last South American team left standing, knocked out Asian champions Al-Hilal to keep the CONMEBOL flag flying.

Suspension Drama for Both Sides

If you’re into chaos, you’re going to love this one. Chelsea will be without both Liam Delap and Levi Colwill, who each picked up a second yellow of the tournament in the Palmeiras win. That means Pochettino has to shuffle the deck defensively and up front.

The likely solution? Nicolas Jackson. After serving a two-match ban for a red card against Flamengo, he was available last match but didn’t feature. Expect him to lead the line now.

But it’s not just Chelsea making last-minute tweaks. Fluminense will also miss key players, Martinelli, their quarter-final goalscorer, and Juan Freytes, both suspended. So yes, it’s officially the Battle of the Shorthanded.

Can Fluminense Pull Off an Upset?

They’re the underdogs, sure. But don’t let that fool you, this Fluminense side is battle-tested and has a real bite to their game. Chelsea may look better on paper, but the paper doesn’t play football. And knockout games at this stage? They don’t care about your Premier League status.

A spot in the final awaits the winner, where either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain will be licking their lips in anticipation.

Predicted Lineups Chelsea vs Fluminense

Fluminense:
Fabio; Ignacio, Thiago Silva, Guga, Rene; Hercules; Nonato, Bernal; Cano, Arias, Everaldo

Chelsea:
Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Caicedo; Santos, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Jackson

Where to Watch Chelsea vs Fluminense

No Delap. No Colwill. No Martinelli. No Freytes. But plenty of tension, stakes, and unpredictability.

Also Read- Top 4 Football Players Destined to Dominate the 2026 FIFA World Cup

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