Chelsea vs Al Hilal LIVE: Club World Cup result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow live updates as the European champions kick off their campaign at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium
Chelsea reach the final of the Club World Cup, as predicted, but just not in a manner they would have expected.
The European champions were made to work embarrassingly hard against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal for an underwhelming 1-0 victory, secured by Romelu Lukaku. The fact the striker had again scored - his first in a month and only his second in 2022 so far, the other against Chesterfield - was one of the few positives, but the game mostly showed why Chelsea had at one point considered Al Hilal manager Leonardo Jardim as a potential candidate for the Stamford Bridge hotseat.
There remain some concerns for the team, as the absence of Thomas Tuchel again brought an absence of any kind of conviction against very moderate opponents.
Al Hilal almost followed League One’s Plymouth Argyle in forcing Chelsea to extra-time in successive games, and it might have been even worse had it not been for the inspired form of Kepa Arrizabalaga. One of his stops was brilliant, particularly as he was unsighted. Chelsea’s problems were all too visible. They still look so disconnected in attack - and that despite the return of Kai Havertz - but now that bit looser in defence.
Whether that is just down to the simple effect of the manager again not being there, having had a positive Covid test, remains to be seen. There is some optimism he may return here for Saturday’s final, in the same stadium. Follow analysis and reaction to the match below:
Romelu Lukaku ends month-long drought to send sloppy Chelsea into Club World Cup final
Chelsea coaches at Club World Cup ‘constantly in contact’ with Covid-stricken Thomas Tuchel
Reece James heads to Abu Dhabi with Chelsea as they prepare for Club World Cup
‘We have to make the most of it’: Cesar Azpilicueta urges Chelsea to take chance at Club World Cup
Cub World Cup: Good signs for Chelsea
On four of the previous five occasions an English club has competed at the Fifa Club World Cup, it made it through the semi-final stage. Chelsea’s last appearance in the competition saw they reach the final but lost 1-0 to Corinthians.
Club World Cup: Jardim calls competition format ‘unfair'
Al-Hilal boss Leonardo Jardim wants Fifa to look at the format of the Club World Cup tournament after branding it unfair to the lower ranked teams.
Currently the European and South American champions only enter at the semi-final stage and have to play just two matches before lifiting the trophy. Jardim said:
It’s unfair that some teams have to play four matches in eight days and other teams are the best and only have to play two matches and are well rested,
"I think there should be better care with the schedule, with more days to recover so teams from Asia [and North and Central America] have a better chance."
Club World Cup: Chelsea team changes
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is back in the Chelsea squad after his heroics in the Africa Cup of Nations but Kepa Arrizabalaga keeps his place in the team.
Thiago Silva, Marcos Alonso and Kai Havertz all make the starting XI with Malang Sarr, Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi all dropping to the bench.
Clube World Cup: Chelsea line-up
Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Christensen, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso, Ziyech, Lukaku, Havertz
Club World Cup: Ali-Hilal team changes
Al-Hilal manager Leonardo Jardim makes just one change to the Al-Hilal team that defeated Al-Jazira 6-1 in the Club World Cup quarter-finals.
Mohammed Al-Burayk comes in to replace Saud Abdulhamid and joins Jang Hyuan-soo, Ali Al-Bulaihi and Yasser Shahrani in the back line.
Club World Cup: Al-Hilal line-up
Al-Hilal XI: Almuaiouf, Alburayk, Jang, Al Bulayhi, Y. Shahrani, G. Cuellar, Kanno, Salem, Pereria, Marega, Ighalo
Club World Cup: History beckons for Chelsea
If they win the competition this year Chelsea will become only the third team to make a win all of UEFA’s club competitions plus the Fifa Club World Cup.
In their history the Blues have already triumphed in the European Cup/Champions League, Uefa Cup/Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup and Super Cup but they need to add the Club World Cup to their trophy case to join Bayern Munich and Manchester United in a clean sweep.
Club World Cup: Chelsea’s previous attempts
This is Chelsea’s second pursuit of the gold badge of world champions. The Blue’s previous participation in this competition came in 2012 and ended when they lost 1-0 to Corinthians of Brazil in the final.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel is absent with Covid and has been motivating his players’ pursuit of a second trophy this season through all-hours texts, calls and video conferences with his staff.
Club World Cup: Chelsea to wait on Mount
In the absence of Chelsea’s manager, Thomas Tuchel’s assistant Zsolt Low spoke to the media earlier in the week and gave an update of the fitness of Mason Mount. Low said:
Mason is getting better and better every day. We’ll see how he moves and feels, take the last decision tomorrow.
“We had a hard cup game with 120 minutes and a long trip here. We have to use the first two days to recover and slowly today we are prepared for a good session and game.
“The four-hour time difference, players couldn’t sleep very well, they need this time to play the game.”
Club World Cup: Chelsea coaches at Club World Cup ‘constantly in contact’ with Covid-stricken Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel will aim to give Chelsea a virtual team-talk ahead of their Club World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
The Blues boss has been unable to join the Blues in Abu Dhabi after testing positive for coronavirus.
The German missed Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round win over Plymouth watching from home as his side edged out the Pilgrims after extra time.
Chelsea coaches at Club World Cup ‘constantly in contact’ with Thomas Tuchel
Arno Michels and Zsolt Low will take charge for Wednesday’s Club World Cup semi-final against Al Hilal
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