Palmer has had 16 shots across his four matches at the Club World Cup (3.83 per 90) with five of these attempts finding the target (1.20 per 90). He leads the Chelsea ranks at the Club World Cup when it comes to shots and has also provided two goal contributions during the tournament.

Palmer boasted a strong shot on target record during the regular Premier League season. The 23 year old averaged 1.44 shots on target per 90 across his 37 appearances in the English top flight. Palmer has found some form during the knockout stages at the Club World Cup after a quiet few months since the turn of the year which can aid him in finding the target here.

Cucurella has committed nine fouls across his four appearances at the Club World Cup (2.08 per 90). He’s received one yellow card across these fixtures with his role changing often in this Chelsea side as Maresca looks to strike the right balance with his fullbacks.

Cucurella pops up in advanced areas regularly but can also find himself tracking back and having to commit a foul when he hasn’t quite had time to get back into position following one of his forays forward.

Cucurella will be up against Jhon Arias here who has won 12 fouls across his five appearances at the Club World Cup (2.40 per 90). Arias is also averaging 2.91 fouls won per 90 across his 11 appearances in Serie A this campaign.

Chelsea remain a very young team, and that lack of experience is frequently accompanied by petulance and a habit of picking up yellow cards regularly. Chelsea received more yellow cards than any other Premier League side in the 24/25 season, with a total of 99, a statistic that underscores how often they end up in the referee’s notebook. This marks the second consecutive season where Chelsea have finished with the highest number of cautions in the league.

A similar pattern has emerged in the Club World Cup. Under Enzo Marseca, Chelsea have been shown three or more cards in four of their five matches in the competition, with the only exception being their final group game against Esperance Tunis. This trend demonstrates that Chelsea have carried their undisciplined tendencies from the Premier League into the Club World Cup.

This is likely to continue in their upcoming match against Fluminense, a side known for being difficult to break down and capable of frustrating their opponents. Chelsea have a reputation for crossing the line when things are not going their way, a trait partly attributed to the nature of their squad.

Cole Palmer has not been at his best over the past few months, but a slight upturn in form during the latter stages of the Club World Cup suggests he could finish the tournament and the season strongly. His assist against Benfica marked his first goal contribution in the competition, and he built on that by scoring the opening goal in the quarter-final against Palmeiras. These moments hint at a player rediscovering his rhythm at a crucial time.  

Across the 24/25 campaign, Palmer has been involved in 28 goals in 50 appearances, a respectable return despite his recent dip. While his overall output has been solid, there have been periods where his influence has waned, raising questions about his consistency. However, his recent contributions in the Club World Cup indicate he may be regaining his sharpness.  

If Palmer can maintain this improved level, he could play a key role in Chelsea’s push for silverware. His ability to deliver in big moments has never been in doubt, and with the season reaching its climax, his resurgence could not have come at a better time. A strong finish would silence any doubts and reaffirm his importance to the team.

Enzo Fernandez has been really fortunate to avoid picking up a caution at the Club World Cup so far. He’s committed seven fouls across his five appearances at the competition (1.72 per 90) and has a card record from the Premier League season which suggests that he is well overdue a caution.

Fernandez picked up eight yellow cards across his 36 Premier League appearances during the 24/25 campaign - only Levi Colwill (9) and Moises Caicedo (11) picked up more yellow cards than Enzo Fernandez during the most recent season.

Fernandez is part of a Chelsea side that can be quick to frustration as shown by the fact they’ve received 3+ cards in four of their five games at the Club World Cup so far.

Chelsea would have bitten your hand off for the path to the final that has ended up playing out for the Blues. The only European side they have faced so far was Benfica back in the round of 16 so it has been a pretty seamless campaign so far for Enzo Maresca’s side. They’ll come up against strong opposition here, especially defensively so it may take the Blues a while to breakdown a stubborn Fluminense backline.

However, Chelsea have become much better at finding a way to break down a low block and should be able to breach the Brazilian sides’ backline seeing as they’ve scored 10 goals at the Club World Cup so far. A Chelsea goal would force Fluminense to come out of their shell which would give the Blues even more space to ensure they seal their progression to the final.