The Prague Post - Joao Pedro arrival boosts Chelsea ahead of Palmeiras Club World Cup test

EUR -
AED 4.33393
AFN 82.488354
ALL 97.918876
AMD 452.494806
ANG 2.111641
AOA 1082.001379
ARS 1450.436914
AUD 1.79499
AWG 2.123886
AZN 2.002014
BAM 1.955778
BBD 2.375973
BDT 143.918348
BGN 1.956831
BHD 0.444846
BIF 3505.430057
BMD 1.179936
BND 1.49897
BOB 8.130907
BRL 6.402807
BSD 1.176786
BTN 100.813843
BWP 15.616821
BYN 3.850956
BYR 23126.754559
BZD 2.363673
CAD 1.603841
CDF 3404.116903
CHF 0.933685
CLF 0.028463
CLP 1092.255238
CNY 8.45472
CNH 8.449035
COP 4713.197181
CRC 594.493177
CUC 1.179936
CUP 31.268316
CVE 110.263734
CZK 24.656
DJF 209.547595
DKK 7.461422
DOP 69.929197
DZD 152.717371
EGP 58.232838
ERN 17.699047
ETB 162.331937
FJD 2.63798
FKP 0.866196
GBP 0.864498
GEL 3.209323
GGP 0.866196
GHS 12.17886
GIP 0.866196
GMD 84.367021
GNF 10200.796467
GTQ 9.047896
GYD 246.187174
HKD 9.262442
HNL 30.754647
HRK 7.535781
HTG 154.446918
HUF 400.25453
IDR 19144.410019
ILS 3.977583
IMP 0.866196
INR 100.956192
IQD 1541.482307
IRR 49704.82317
ISK 142.796302
JEP 0.866196
JMD 188.117841
JOD 0.836563
JPY 169.673717
KES 152.453858
KGS 103.185586
KHR 4722.905765
KMF 493.213951
KPW 1061.974182
KRW 1603.581038
KWD 0.360045
KYD 0.980689
KZT 610.242996
LAK 25360.708918
LBP 105435.589846
LKR 352.935949
LRD 235.937292
LSL 20.787961
LTL 3.484046
LVL 0.713732
LYD 6.336927
MAD 10.577979
MDL 19.774773
MGA 5179.940546
MKD 61.590145
MMK 2476.930075
MNT 4230.405249
MOP 9.514791
MRU 46.745463
MUR 52.943402
MVR 18.173458
MWK 2040.576579
MXN 22.179218
MYR 4.978148
MZN 75.468641
NAD 20.787961
NGN 1804.500216
NIO 43.299136
NOK 11.881695
NPR 161.302149
NZD 1.942778
OMR 0.453697
PAB 1.176686
PEN 4.190952
PGK 4.856903
PHP 66.422754
PKR 335.664047
PLN 4.267596
PYG 9385.892272
QAR 4.290251
RON 5.06216
RSD 117.15712
RUB 93.123296
RWF 1690.380598
SAR 4.425162
SBD 9.837041
SCR 17.039509
SDG 708.551738
SEK 11.226299
SGD 1.501782
SHP 0.927245
SLE 26.489794
SLL 24742.681861
SOS 672.492281
SRD 44.064711
STD 24422.302379
SVC 10.296882
SYP 15341.274375
SZL 20.783761
THB 38.147473
TJS 11.508468
TMT 4.141577
TND 3.425761
TOP 2.763529
TRY 47.070609
TTD 7.979908
TWD 34.070638
TZS 3103.573886
UAH 49.134636
UGX 4220.951553
USD 1.179936
UYU 46.559466
UZS 14916.82879
VES 129.171775
VND 30914.335176
VUV 140.352385
WST 3.069642
XAF 655.949471
XAG 0.032042
XAU 0.000351
XCD 3.188837
XDR 0.815791
XOF 655.949471
XPF 119.331742
YER 285.721832
ZAR 20.728669
ZMK 10620.80931
ZMW 28.273675
ZWL 379.939058
  • CMSC

    0.0900

    22.314

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0250

    22.285

    +0.11%

  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    69.04

    0%

  • SCS

    0.0400

    10.74

    +0.37%

  • RELX

    0.0300

    53

    +0.06%

  • RIO

    -0.1400

    59.33

    -0.24%

  • GSK

    0.1300

    41.45

    +0.31%

  • NGG

    0.2700

    71.48

    +0.38%

  • BP

    0.1750

    30.4

    +0.58%

  • BTI

    0.7150

    48.215

    +1.48%

  • BCC

    0.7900

    91.02

    +0.87%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.13

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.85

    +0.1%

  • BCE

    -0.0600

    22.445

    -0.27%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    12

    +0.83%

  • AZN

    -0.1200

    73.71

    -0.16%

Joao Pedro arrival boosts Chelsea ahead of Palmeiras Club World Cup test
Joao Pedro arrival boosts Chelsea ahead of Palmeiras Club World Cup test / Photo: Paul ELLIS - AFP/File

Joao Pedro arrival boosts Chelsea ahead of Palmeiras Club World Cup test

New signing Joao Pedro could make his debut for Chelsea when they renew acquaintances with Brazilian outfit Palmeiras in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup on Friday.

Text size:

The 23-year-old Brazilian forward completed a move to Chelsea from Brighton and Hove Albion for a reported £60 million ($79 million) on Wednesday and immediately began training with Enzo Maresca's squad in Miami.

That is where they have been preparing for the last eight of the tournament in the United States, before travelling back to Philadelphia on Thursday ahead of the clash with Sao Paulo side Palmeiras.

"I'm very excited to play for Chelsea, to fight for every title, every tournament and play in the Champions League. Hopefully, we win as many trophies as possible," Joao Pedro told the club's website after putting pen to paper on an eight-year contract.

There is the tantalising possibility that a first trophy for the new signing could come in just 10 days' time, if Chelsea go all the way in FIFA's lucrative new competition.

The London club beat Palmeiras in the final of the old Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi in early 2022, although none of the players involved for them that day are still there.

New owners came in a few months after that success and Chelsea's squad has overgone major changes since, with Joao Pedro just the latest face of many to arrive.

He comes from the state of Sao Paulo so is familiar with Palmeiras, Copa Libertadores winners in 2020 and 2021.

Joao Pedro also began his career at Fluminense, who they could face in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup -- the team from Rio de Janeiro take on Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia in their last-eight tie.

- Estevao to face future team -

Chelsea have already faced Brazilian opposition in Philadelphia at this Club World Cup and lost, but the 3-1 reverse at the hands of Flamengo did not prevent them from progressing beyond their group.

Maresca's side then overcame a lengthy storm delay to beat Benfica 4-1 after extra time in Charlotte in the last 16 and make it to the quarter-finals.

Joao Pedro will now hope to feature in an attack that has already been reinforced at the Club World Cup with the addition of Liam Delap, the former Ipswich Town striker who scored his first goal for his new team in the 3-0 win over Esperance of Tunisia.

Another new attacker will join after the tournament, but teenage winger Estevao Willian will be in the opposition ranks on Friday for a game taking place on the American Fourth of July holiday, in the city where the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776.

Eyebrows were raised when Estevao, who plays principally off the right flank, was substituted by coach Abel Ferreira early in the second half before Palmeiras went on to beat Botafogo in extra time in the last 16.

It was his replacement Paulinho who went on to score the winner, but he is experiencing fitness issues and is not expected to start in the quarter-final.

That means Estevao, seen as Brazil's most exciting young talent, should line up at kick-off for Palmeiras, who unlike Chelsea have been training in the city where Friday's match will take place.

They have been using the facilities of Super Bowl winners the Philadelphia Eagles and will be hoping some of the NFL side's magic rubs off on them.

"The coach has been talking about this since the start of the season," Palmeiras defender Bruno Fuchs said of his team's Club World Cup bid.

"We have a dream and dreaming does not cost anything."

Palmeiras do have defensive headaches too, however, with centre-back and captain Gustavo Gomez suspended along with left-back Joaquin Piquerez.

Z.Pavlik--TPP