2021 Club World Cup Final Preview: Palmeiras vs Chelsea – Who Comes Out On Top?

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It will be Chelsea and Palmeiras who will go head to head to battle it out in the 2021 Club World Cup final at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 12, February 2022. 

Copa Libertadores winners, Palmeiras, will face Champions League winners, Chelsea, to decide who becomes the World Champions.

There will be a new Club World Cup Champion on Saturday as neither of the teams have won the title before.

Chelsea defeated Al-Hilal by a narrow 1-0 victory in the semi-finals to get their campaign started. 

They remain the only European team to lose a Club World Cup final since 2006 after their 1-0 defeat to Corinthians in the 2012 edition.

The Blues are not performing at top level currently, with the Blues winning just twice in their last five games.

Their form can be attributed to lots of injury to key players and the work load of competing in the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and the Club World Cup. 

However, the Blues look set to get the job done without further disappointment after failing to secure the title at the first time of asking. 

The Club World Cup is the only major trophy Chelsea have not won since Roman Abramovic took over at the club in 2003. 

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On the other hand, despite the odds being extremely against Palmeiras going into this encounter, they cannot be taken for granted having won two Copa Libertadores titles in a row in 2020 and 2021.

The Verdao finished third in last season’s Brazilian Seria A table and recently defeated Al-Ahly 2-0 to secure a place in the final of the 2021 Club World Cup.

The Brazilian side are into the final of the Club World Cup for the first time and will be aiming to cause a major upset to their opponents.

They came close to reaching the final last year but lost 1-0 to Mexican side Tigres in the semi-finals and had to settle for a fourth place finish after losing on penalties to Al Ahly of Egypt in the third place playoffs. 

Palmeiras and Chelsea have never met before in history. This means both sides will be aiming to showcase their prowess on the pitch.

The South American team will be encouraged by their recent form as they remain unbeaten in competitive action since late November (W7, D3) and have remarkably kept a clean sheet in all but one game during that period. 

Players who will miss the 2021 Club World Cup Final 

Chelsea: Ruben Loftus-Cheek (injury), Ben Chilwell (injury)

Palmeiras: Henri (injury)

Players to look out for in the 2021 Club World Cup Final

Hakim Ziyech, Romelu Lukaku, Dudu

2021 Club World Cup Final Prediction

Palmeiras 0-1 Chelsea

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