Fluminense defeats giants, renews its position in the World Cup and challenges Chelsea for a place in the final

EAST RUTHERFORD - The only Brazilian team still in the Club World Cup , Fluminense will face Chelsea as the first finalist of the competition. The Brazilians and English will face each other this Tuesday at 4pm (Brasília time) at MetLife Stadium.

The winner will face Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid, who will face each other on Wednesday, also at 4 pm, at the same stadium. The team that advances to the final will already be guaranteed at least another US$30 million ( R$163 million ), which is the prize given to the runner-up. The champion will take home an additional US$40 million ( R$221 million ). Flu has already secured US$60 million gross ( R$327 million ) so far.

Given their purchasing power and billion-dollar squad, Chelsea are the favorites, Fluminense's leaders acknowledge. "There's no point in trying to play on equal terms. These guys are on a higher level than us," admits captain Thiago Silva.

The game is even more special for the experienced defender, an idol for both teams. He was brought up by Fluminense, promised to return and kept his promise. At Chelsea, he was European champion and to this day the English miss the defender.

"There is a lot of respect for our football on the other side," emphasizes the captain of Flu. The attitude, he says, has to be the same as in previous games. In the round of 16, the Brazilians eliminated the powerful Inter Milan and the billionaire Al-Hilal.

"We have to be perfect, but we know we won't be. So we need to minimize mistakes like we did in other games," said Thiago Silva. Colombian Jhon Arias, one of the stars of this World Cup, shares the same opinion. "We also have our weapons, our tools to compete, like we have done against all the teams we have faced so far."

One of the most praised players in the competition, Thiago Silva has been the pillar of the Tricolor defense at the age of 40. For example, he made a tactical suggestion to Renato Gaúcho during the hydration break in the second half of the match against Inter Milan. The coach accepted it and the team performed well.

This will be the sixth game in the championship with Fluminense's sixth different lineup - and this has been Renato Gaúcho's trump card. In addition to the tactical changes implemented by the coach during the championship, two absences force him to change the team against the English team.

Defender Freytes and midfielder Martinelli are suspended. They were booked in the quarter-finals against Al-Hilal and each has been given a new warning.

Hércules, who replaced Martinelli and scored the qualifying goal, should start against Chelsea. Thiago Santos could start in a three-man defense. In this case, Renê or Fuentes would play at left back. The tendency is for the number 6 to return, as he is more defensive. Renato did not want to reveal the details. "You will only know the strategy, the team, when the game starts."

"I'm happy with the success we're having. We didn't come to participate, we came to win. They're letting us, step by step, we're in the semifinals," highlighted Renato Gaúcho.

There is a former Flu player on the other side: striker João Pedro, who was promoted by the tricolor team and who was bought by Chelsea last week from Brighton for more than 55 million pounds (R$ 407 million, at the current exchange rate).

He played a few minutes against Palmeiras and, this time, he could earn a starting spot, since regular Delap is suspended - the other absentees are defender Colwill, also suspended, and midfielder Roméo Lavia, injured. "It's been a great start," said the Brazilian about his time with the London team. The forward said he won't celebrate against his former club if he scores a goal. "I'm grateful for everything Fluminense has done for me, but I won't stop doing my job. May the best player win."

Enzo Maresca has one of his star players back. Ecuadorian Moisés Caicedo served his suspension and resumes his place in midfield. "Fluminense has a lot of good players, a lot of experience and quality. We need to be careful and attentive to a lot of things," said the Italian who manages Chelsea.

FLUMINENSE X CHELSEA

• FLUMINENSE: Fabio; Ignacio, Thiago Silva and Thiago Santos; Samuel Xavier, Bernal, Nonato, Hercules and Rene; Arias and Cano. Coach : Renato Gaucho.
• CHELSEA: Sánchez; Reece James, Adarabioyo, Chalobah and Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo Fernández and Cole Palmer; Pedro Neto, Nkunku and João Pedro. Coach : Enzo Maresca.
• REFEREE : François Letexier (France).
• TIME : 4pm (Brasília time).
• LOCATION : MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (USA).
• TV : CazéTV, Globo, SporTV, DAZN.