Thiago Silva fires warning to Chelsea ahead of Club World Cup semi-final showdown with Fluminense
Many of the Chelsea players will be facing a familiar foe when they line up for the Club World Cup semi-final against Fluminense.
Thiago Silva will be at the heart of defence for the Brazilian side, with him enjoying a tremendous tournament so far despite being 40 years of age.
Silva played a key role in knocking Inter Milan out, on paper making Chelsea’s road to the final more comfortable.
The Blues will be well aware of the quality that the Brazilian sides boast though, having already been beaten by Flamengo and pushed all the way by Estevao Willian’s Palmeiras.
Thiago Silva sends warning to Chelsea ahead of Club World Cup semi-final
The likes of Reece James have been extremely complimentary in the past of the role Silva has played in moulding him as a leader, and the club captain will be hoping he is fit enough to feature after missing the quarter-final.
That familiarity could actually work against Chelsea in the semi-final though. Silva has told Ge Globo that he has been trying to pass details on to the Fluminense coaching staff on how they can get the better of the Blues.
He said: “The expectations are high, the apprehension is high, the anxiety is high for me to face them in a World Cup semi-final, trying to help the coaching staff with the interesting little details, things that will stay between us.
“I was saying there recently that I had a short time in London to see my children, so I went to training, anyway. Of course we can’t give too much away either, but we are prepared for this match. I think that’s the most important thing, you know?
“Whoever is on the other side, I think that Fluminense today has a special fan base, it has a special aura. I hope that can work tomorrow too.
“I don’t know Maresca (Chelsea coach) that well, but I know a lot of the players there, I speak to them practically every week, some of them are very close to me. I’m happy about this match, it’s going to be a special day for me, but it will be even more special if we qualify.”
Maresca faces semi-final selection headache
Enzo Maresca will already be aware that he will need to make a number of changes to his side that were victorious in the quarter-finals against Palmeiras.
Levi Colwill and Liam Delap are suspended after picking up two yellow cards already in the tournament, and the striker’s absence could provide a chance at redemption for one of his teammates.
Nicolas Jackson has endured a nightmare past few games, picking up two red cards in his four most recent appearances.
However, Jackson has been handed a huge opportunity to make amends if he is given a start, with him now up against Joao Pedro for a spot up front.
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