Al-Hilal forward Odion Ighalo has fired a warning to Chelsea ahead of their Club World Cup semi-final match on Wednesday.
A 6-1 victory over Al-Jazira in the quarter-finals of the tournament ensured that Al-Hilal will face the European Champions in the semi-finals.
It will be a first ever match up between the sides when Al-Hilal take on Chelsea. Both teams meet in their second respective outings in the competition’s history with neither previously being able to win it.
There might be an obvious quality gulf between the sides but Al-Hilal forward Ighalo has expressed his confidence ahead of the clash with Chelsea, stating that his club’s objective is to win.
The 32-year-old is not a stranger to playing against the Blues having faced them with his former sides Watford and Manchester United in the Premier League.
His sides have not particularly done well though having secured just a win, two draws and three losses in six meetings against the West London club but he will count it as vital experience going into the match.
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“When you think about the teams you are going to face in the Club World Cup, [they are] high level and big teams that won in their continent,” Ighalo told FIFA’s official website.
“We’re going to play against Chelsea, a good team which I have played against before, but as you know, the goal of the team and the fans is to win because this team doesn’t understand losing.”
Ighalo was on target for Al-Hilal in the 6-1 win over Al Jazira in the quarter-finals and will be looking to add to his tally against Chelsea.
Free-scoring Al-Hilal boast a star-studded front line of Ighalo, Matheus Pereira, Moussa Marega, Andre Carrillo and Salem Al-Dawsari who are all doing well this season and scoring a lot of goals.
Al-Hilal manager Leonardo Jardim has also echoed the same upbeat spirit as Ighalo, stating that his side are ready for the challenge.
“We’re going to face the champions of Europe, but we are the champions of Asia and it won’t be an easy match for either team,” Jardim told the media after his side’s quarter-finals heroics.
“The balance is tilted in favour of Chelsea, but nothing is impossible. We deserve to be in the semi-final and we are ready to challenge them.”
Al-Hilal will face Chelsea on Wednesday, February 9 at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The winner will go on to face Palmieras who defeated Al Ahly 2-0 in the other semi-final tie of the competition.
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