Chelsea will fly to Japan after this weekend’s game against Sunderland to represent Europe at the FIFA Club World Cup.
This is the first time the Blues have competed at the Club World Cup, although there is one member of the squad with experience in this competition, as Oscar took part with Internacional in 2010. “I’m very happy to have the opportunity to take part in the competition for the second time,” the midfielder told chelseafc.com. “It’s a very important tournament in Brazil, and across the world, so I’m looking forward to it. Last time out I was 19 years old, but we didn’t manage to win it, so I just hope that this time I can have a great competition and win it with Chelsea.”
The competition begins today with a play-off between local champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima and New Zealand’s Auckland City FC. However, as the Champions League holders, Chelsea will enter at the semi-final stage when we will face the winner of the quarter-final between Mexicans CF Monterrey and Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea, who play on Sunday.
Chelsea’s first game takes place at the International Stadium Yokohama on Wednesday, with kick off at 10.30am UK time. That will also be the venue for both the final and third-place play-off on Sunday 16 December, when the Blues will take on whichever side emerges victorious from the side of the draw that includes the first round play-off winners, Egyptians Al-Ahly SC and South American champions Corinthians of Brazil.
