Chelsea will be aiming to make it to the final of the FIFA Club World Cup when they square off against Al Hilal in Abu Dhabi this midweek.
Chelsea will take on Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal SFC at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday with a place in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup on the line.
Chelsea have made it to the semi-finals of the tournament courtesy of their UEFA Champions League success under Thomas Tuchel last season. The Blues prepared for the encounter with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup over the weekend. With just one defeat in their last 15 games in all competitions, the European champions will look to take a step closer to winning their second trophy of the season after lifting the UEFA Super Cup.
Al Hilal entered the competition at the quarter-final stage after winning the AFC Champions League last season. Managed by former AS Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim, the Riyadh-based outfit thrashed Al Jazira 6-1 to register a record victory and book a date with Chelsea in the penultimate stage of the competition. The Asian club are on a six-game unbeaten run and will be looking to extend that run and make it to the final.
With Palmeiras beating Al Ahly in the other semi-final contest on Tuesday, they will await the winners of Wednesday’s match in the final. Ahead of this David vs Goliath encounter in Abu Dhabi, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams.
Team News & Tactics
Al Hilal
All Set for #ClubWC semifinal against Chelsea ?⚽️#AlHilal ?#AlHilal_inWorldCup ? pic.twitter.com/HCNAOyKt8B
— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) February 8, 2022
Al Hilal have no injury issues to contend with ahead of their semi-final clash against Chelsea on Wednesday. Manager Leonardo Jardim will have a fully-fit roster at his disposal as he looks to lead his team to a huge upset.
The AFC Champions League winners are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and take the game to their more illustrious opponents on Wednesday. Abdullah Al-Mayouf could be in for a busy outing between the sticks and will need all the support he can get from his defence, which should comprise Saud Abdulhamid, Jang Hyun-soo, Ali Al-Bulaihi and Yaseer Al-Shahrani.
Mohammed Kanoo and Gustavo Cuellar will be tasked with keeping things in check in the middle of the park and providing added security to the backline. The creative impetus will come from Matheus Pereira, who netted a brace for West Bromwich Albion against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season in the Premier League.
Moussa Marega and Michael will carry the threat from the wide areas and look to support the central striker, who ought to be former Manchester United star Odion Ighalo, who joined Al Hilal in the January window.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Al-Mayouf; Abdulhamid, Hyun-soo, Al-Bulaihi, Al-Shahrani; Kanoo, Cuellar; Marega, Pereira, Michael; Ighalo
Chelsea
Chelsea have travelled to Saudi Arabia without their manager Thomas Tuchel, after the German tested positive for coronavirus. Edouard Mendy will also be unavailable for the semi-final clash after his involvement with the triumphant Senegal side in the Africa Cup of Nations. Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Reece James are injured, while Mason Mount remains a doubt for the contest.
The latest team news ahead of tomorrow's #ClubWorldCup semi-final! ⤵️
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 8, 2022
Chelsea set up with a four-man defensive system last time out, but are likely to revert to their usual three-person backline on Wednesday. Trevoh Chalobah, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger should line up as the three central defenders in front of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was in fine form against Plymouth.
Captain Cesar Azpilicueta could start as the right wing-back while Marcos Alonso should get the nod on the opposite flank. The pair will be crucial to providing the width for the European champions. Mateo Kovacic should occupy one of the two midfield slots while the Blues could look to hand Saul Niguez a start, protecting N’Golo Kante and Jorginho for the final or the latter stages of the game if things don’t go to plan.
Hakim Ziyech has been in good touch and should be retained in the starting XI, while Timo Werner should get a run out from the left side. Kai Havertz ought to spearhead the attack for the Blues ahead of the misfiring Romelu Lukaku against Al Hilal. Christian Pulisic could also get some minutes at some point in the game.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Kepa; Chalobah, Christensen, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Saul, Alonso; Ziyech, Havertz, Werner
Key Stats
- This will be Chelsea’s second appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup and the first since 2012, when they were beaten 1-0 in the final by Corinthians.
- Al Hilal became just the second side to score six goals in a single FIFA Club World Cup game when they came from behind in the last round to beat Al Jazira 6-1.
- This will be the sixth time an English side has competed at the FIFA Club World Cup, with those teams making the final on four of the previous five occasions.
- Al Hilal are making their second appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup, having finished as the fourth-best team at the 2019 edition.
- Chelsea have lost just one of their last 15 games in all competitions (W8 D6).
Player to Watch
Timo Werner
German connection! ??? pic.twitter.com/CDefwJ6RhX
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 8, 2022
It has been yet another difficult season for Timo Werner at Chelsea, with the German still finding it hard to get going. So far this term, the former RB Leipzig hitman has managed just six goals from 20 matches in all competitions and has dropped down quite a few rungs in the manager’s pecking order.
Werner did show some signs of form in his near forty-minute cameo against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup tie last weekend. Likely to be given the nod against Al Hilal, the 25-year-old will need to make the most of his opportunity and stake a claim for more regular involvement going forward.
Prediction
Al Hilal 1-3 Chelsea
Al Hilal will be high on morale after their thumping win over Al Jazira in the last round. However, they will be coming up against an opponent who are on a whole different level. Chelsea were made to work hard by Plymouth Argyle over the weekend, but the sheer amount of quality in their ranks and the experience of the big stage should help them prevail in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
The Hard Tackle predicts the European champions to pick up a victory to set up a date against Palmeiras in the finals of the FIFA Club World Cup.
