In the first semi-final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Chelsea and Fluminense will lock horns tonight (22.00). And while this game has mainly been seen through the prism of Thiago Silva’s clash against his former club, with which he won the 2021 Champions League, the Blues boss Enzo Maresca managed to grab the spotlight, embarrassing himself in the pre-match press conference.Namely, speaking about his team’s fatigue, the Italian pointed out the number of games Chelsea played this season.Thiago Silva’s Derby to decide first Club World Cup finalist”It is not that we don’t see this tournament as important, it’s that teams have arrived in two completely different situations and realities. How many games have the Brazilian team played in their current season? We have played 63 games,” he said via Reuters.However, one of the Brazilian journalists quickly responded to Maresca, stating that Fluminense played 70 games in the same period as the London side, leaving the tactician speechless.😳 A journalist leaves Enzo Maresca speechless ahead of the match vs. Fluminense:🗣️ Enzo Maresca: “We’ve played 63 games this season! European teams come into this competition differently than South American teams [including Fluminense], who have played fewer matches. The… pic.twitter.com/PzuxIYxwEy— The Touchline | Football Coverage (@TouchlineX) July 7, 2025 Moreover, the four Brazilian representatives at the FIFA Club World Cup have played the most matches of all the participants in the tournament: Flamengo – 78, Botafogo – 73, Fluminense and Palmeiras – 70 each.Maresca probably should have known that before commenting on the matter. This way, his remark has gone viral and not for a good reason.FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 20251/2 finalsTuesday22.00 (5.40) Fluminense (3.75) Chelsea (1.67)Wednesday22.00 (2.35) PSG (3.50) Real Madrid (2.95)***odds are subject to change***
