Cesar Azpiliqueta is the last still present witness of that excruciating failure a decade ago that saw Brazilian side Corinthians brush aside Chelsea in the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup finals. That was the first and, up to this day, the only Blues’ participation at this tournament, whose 2022 edition kick off today in Abu Dhabi. The Spanish full-back is still in the Londoners’ squad and is hoping to lift the only still missing trophy in the already packed Stamford Bridge showcase. Blues’ captain: We are having a tough moment and we need everybody to get that extra percent sharperHowever, it’s not going to be easy as pie for Thomas Tuchel’s slot, with African champions Al Ahly and South American giants Palmeiras looking forward to trumping the much-praised favourites.That notorious 2012 Chelsea loss has been the last shortcoming of one European side in this competition. In the meantime, before Liverpool triumphed in 2019, the Club World Cup was won by teams in Spain between 2014 and 2018 – Real Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) and Barcelona (2015).Cristiano Ronaldo leads the FIFA Club World Cup in goals ⚽️Will anyone catch him? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/vy5SYfHvqw— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 1, 2022 Bayern Munich won it in 2013 and again last year.However, there’s not a single club among this year’s candidates that won it ever since the competition’s establishment back in 2000.Two teams will compete in the first round on Thursday – Tahiti’s AS Pirae and Al Jazira from the host nation, the United Arab Emirates – with the winners advancing to the second round.Pirae, who are representing the Oceania Football Confederation, are making their debut at the tournament. Al Jazira, who are managed by former Ajax boss Marcel Keizer, are the 2020-21 UAE Pro League champions.The winners will go through to the second round, which features Egypt’s Al Ahly, who are competing in the Club World Cup for the seventh time.FIFA Club World Cup Mode 🔛#YallaYaAhly #ClubWC pic.twitter.com/O7ojFaUURv— Al Ahly SC 🇬🇧 (@AlAhlyEnglish) February 1, 2022 Mexican club Monterrey, the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League winners, and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal also enter this round.African Champions League winners Al Ahly play Monterrey on 5 February, with Asian champions Al Hilal taking on the first-round winners the following day.The two second-round winners will advance to the semi-finals, where European champions Chelsea and South American champions Palmeiras enter.Brazilian club Palmeiras will play the winners of the Al Ahly-Monterrey tie on 8 February, and Chelsea will face the winners of the Al Hilal-Al Jazira/AS Pirae match on 9 February.The final is on 12 February and takes place after the third-place play-off earlier in the day.FIFA Club World Cup 2021:🏴Chelsea 🇧🇷Palmeiras🇸🇦Al Hilal🇪🇬Al Ahly🇲🇽Monterrey🇳🇿Auckland City🇦🇪Al Jazira Club (Host)Play: 3 – 12 Februari 2022 #ClubWC pic.twitter.com/oA6tliaV9z— Siaran Bola Live (@SiaranBolaLive) January 27, 2022 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUPTHU: 19.30: (1.02) AL JAZIRA (20.0) PIRAE (45.0)SAT: 19.30: (6.25) AL AHLY (4.00) MONTERREY (1.55)
