Pedro Neto delivered a quality performance as Chelsea kickstarted their Club World Cup tournament with an important victory.
Chelsea picked up three points in Group D by winning 2-0 against Los Angeles FC on Monday night.
Enzo Maresca’s side are in a Club World Cup group that also includes Flamengo and ES Tunis, so they are expected to breeze into the knockout rounds of the summer competition.
Blues attacker Pedro Neto, 25, scored a brilliant opening goal against LAFC after cutting infield to his favoured left foot and firing in a low finish. It was the highlight in a very positive individual display from the right-winger.
Chelsea are delighted with Neto for his contribution during his first year in West London, and hopefully it continues with a major role at the Club World Cup.
John Obi Mikel insists Pedro Neto is on the rise
Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel singled out Neto for huge praise after the Blues’ success against LAFC. In fact, he predicts that the Portugal international will only keep improving as he’s already such a complete winger.
During DAZN’s coverage of Chelsea vs LAFC, Mikel raved about Neto (10:33pm, 16 June): “He’s quick. He’s direct, and that’s the thing I like about him. He’s a player that when he picks up the ball, he wants to go past defenders and create chances. He’s always trying to do something. This goal shows what a player he is.
“For the club to get him last season, I thought it was a really good piece of business. I think he’s only going to get better. He’s a fantastic player. He’s got everything.”
Including the Club World Cup, Neto now has seven goals and nine assists across all competitions during a productive debut season in Chelsea colours.
Chelsea won’t listen to offers for Neto despite interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia. If he can become a bit more reliable in front of goal, we believe that he’s got the potential to become a major player at Stamford Bridge.
Tony Cascarino’s criticism of Neto is that he needs to be more consistent because he’s got so much talent when he’s fit and firing.
Pedro Neto creates the most chances in Chelsea win against LAFC
Neto passed the eye test with flying colours against LAFC, so it was great to see the underlying numbers backed up a very impressive display. In particular, statistics highlighted that he created the most chances in the Club World Cup fixture.
| Minutes played | Goals | Assists | Total shots | Chances created | Successful dribbles | Accurate crosses | Was fouled | Match rating |
| 90 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5/7 (71%) | 3/7 (43%) | 2 | 9.0 |
Neto has the speed and dribbling to torment opposition full-backs, especially when he’s operating from the right flank.
The competition for places will be tough next season, especially with Estevao Willian’s imminent arrival, but the Portugal star can put down a real marker in the Club World Cup tournament.
