Brazilian media give honest verdict on Joao Pedro's Chelsea debut in Club World Cup win vs Palmeiras
Chelsea booked their place in the final four of the Club World Cup, and a player making their debut for the club played a key role in picking up the victory.
Joao Pedro was summoned from the bench straight after the Blues conceded to future star Estevao Willian, who was by far Palmeiras’ most dangerous player.
The former Brighton man came on for his debut in place of Liam Delap, who is suspended for the semi-final due to picking up two yellow cards in the competition.
Cole Palmer praised Pedro for his performance off the bench, saying his introduction helped change the game in Chelsea’s favour.
It didn’t take long for Blues fans to get to see what the attacker is all about, with him filling multiple roles during his second-half cameo.
Brazilian media wowed by Joao Pedro’s Chelsea debut
Playing against a side from his home country, there will have been an ambition for him to impress, and this is exactly what he did.
Brazilian media site GE Globo waxed lyrical about his display, stating that he and countryman Andrey Santos were the two stars of the show.
They said: “The moment belongs to the Brazilians in the cast: João Pedro and Andrey Santos. Newly arrived at Chelsea in a purchase of R$415 million, João Pedro – curiously raised in the youth ranks of Fluminense – caught the attention and pleased coach Enzo Maresca.
“Even though he only had two days of training with the rest of the group, the striker had 40 minutes on the field (more than expected), took two shots and gave a decisive pass that ended in a shot that hit the post in second-half injury time.”
With Delap now out and there being no minutes on offer for Nicolas Jackson last time out, there could be a real chance for Pedro to start in the semi-finals.
Joao Pedro set for emotional Club World Cup semi-final
If he is handed a start by Enzo Maresca, Pedro will be thrown into an emotional set of circumstances to feature in.
The attacker started his professional career with Fluminense before making the move to England and joining Watford.
There will be a number of reunions in the semi-final game, with Chelsea legend Thiago Silva likely to start at the back for the opposition.
The 40-year-old had four incredible years at Stamford Bridge, and Silva has played a starring role in their Club World Cup campaign so far.
from Latest Chelsea News and Updates - The Chelsea Chronicle https://ift.tt/eNDiAWd
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