Chelsea will be coming up against a couple of familiar faces when they play against Flamengo at the Club World Cup.
On Friday night, Chelsea face Brazilian outfit Flamengo in Group D of the Club World Cup tournament.
Former Blues midfielder Jorginho, 33, joined Flamengo this summer and made his debut for his new club earlier this week. In addition, former Chelsea defender Filipe Luís, 39, is the manager.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has hinted he will rotate at the Club World Cup to take advantage of his deep squad. On paper, this is the toughest opponent they will face in the group stages.
Jorginho thinks Chelsea are a top side
Jorginho, who played at Chelsea between 2018 and 2023, has been extremely complimentary of his former team.
The Italian midfielder has perhaps exposed the Blues’ game plan by predicting they will try to play expansively and tap into their physical advantages.
When discussing Chelsea, Jorginho said via Globo: “It’s going to be a very difficult game, we know how good they are, and we’re going to prepare for this big game…
“They are dynamic players, with physical power. They will try to play from behind, break lines, open up the field so they can run, which is what they try to do. And we have to try to stop them from doing that… They are top-level players, who I had the pleasure of working with and I root for them, but not in this game.”
The Brazilian media thinks Flamengo can hurt Chelsea, particularly in the full-back areas. The South American clubs have impressed in the Club World Cup competition so far, too.
Without a doubt, Jorginho’s know-how and experience of the Blues will be a great tool for Flamengo to use in Friday’s showdown.
Opta’s Supercomputer tipped Chelsea to win Group D before a ball was kicked at the Club World Cup, but it’s going to be a stern test for Maresca’s side.
Is Jorginho underrated at Chelsea?
Even though he had his ups and downs during five years as a Chelsea player, Jorginho should be remembered very fondly for his time at Stamford Bridge.
The deep-lying midfielder won four pieces of silverware with the Blues, including both the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists | Trophies |
| 213 | 29 | 8 | 4 |
Jorginho didn’t expect Chelsea to sell him to Arsenal in 2023, but he went on and impressed across London. Now, we expect he’ll prove to be a big hit in the latter stages of his career with Flamengo.
