Club World Cup: Fluminense vs. Chelsea – Preview, lineups, our tips

Fluminense’s glorious run continues in the 2025 Club World Cup, and if this Sporting Base writer’s predictions come true, we could have one more grand twist that will see the Brazilian hype train power beyond the semifinals.

Here’s the Sporting Base’s guide and insights for this all-important semifinal meeting.

How to watch

• When: Wednesday, 5am (AEST)
• Where: MetLife Stadium, Rutherford
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Expected lineups

• Fluminense (3-5-2): Fábio, Ignacio, Silva, Fuentes, Xavier, Hércules, Bernal, Nonato, Rene, Arias, Cano
• Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sánchez, Gusto, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernández, Palmer, Pedro, Neto, Jackson

Fluminense vs. Chelsea prediction

Let’s keep this one simple, shall we? I think everyone who isn’t a Chelsea fan wants Fluminense to win and make the big dance. Brazil’s last hope has been nothing short of exhilarating in the U.S., with Renato Gaúcho’s men earning their spot in the final four with an incredible defensive record and the results to take them deeper and deeper.

Conversely, Chelsea comes into the semifinals almost feeling like they’ve gotten away with something. They’ve never looked at their very best across their American campaign, and a ‘soft’ bracket has helped them through to this meeting against Serie A’s last representative.

For mine, something has to give for Enzo Maresca and his Blues eventually, and not in a good way.

In East Rutherford, we can see just that happening as Fluminense’s story rolls on. It will be scrappy, it will be tight, and it’s going to take a whole lot more defensive work from Fluminense’s wall in Ignácio, Gabriel Fuentes, and 40-year-old Thiago Silva, but they’ve delivered before. (The only worry may be that red-hot Juan Pablo Freytes is suspended for this match.)

Fluminense is also without their goalscoring midfielder Matheus Martinelli, but Hércules should be a tip-top replacement after scoring in both knockout matches so far, and Colombian Jhon Arias is deadly atop the 3-5-2.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are missing midfield combo Levi Colwill and Liam Delap (one of whom will be replaced by Moisés Caicedo), and tournament revelation Liam Delap has been sidelined with a suspension; all stars they’ll miss as they look to finally find that “click” moment in America and prove they actually deserve to be in the final.

This time around, it’s all Fluminense and their confidence, though. The hype train rolls on.

• Our prediction: Fluminense 1–0 Chelsea
• Goalscorer tip: Jhon Arias
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