Enzo Maresca reflects on Joao Pedro’s impact and Chelsea's Club World Cup final spot

SoccerSoccer newsClub World Cup newsChelsea news
Written By Nicole Powell

Enzo Maresca says he is “very proud and very happy” after Chelsea reached the Club World Cup final with a 2-0 win over Fluminense, and praised new signing Joao Pedro for delivering immediately on the big stage.

In this article, Sports News Blitz deputy content editor Nicole Powell breaks down Maresca’s post-match reaction and Joao Pedro’s standout performance in just his second Chelsea appearance.

Immediate impact from Pedro

The Brazilian striker, who only joined the Blues last week in a £55 million move from Brighton, scored twice to help Chelsea past the Brazilian side in Tuesday’s semi-final in New Jersey.

The £60million recruit, who cut short his holiday, was thrust immediately into action as a result of Liam Delap’s suspension.

His debut came against Palmeiras, coming on as a substitute and quickly impressing.

Against Fluminense, Pedro’s opener came in the 18th minute, and he doubled Chelsea’s lead five minutes into the second half. Both goals were a marvel.

Despite scoring twice against his boyhood club, he opted not to celebrate.

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Maresca full of praise

The Brazilian’s clinicality and technical ability stood out, and Maresca acknowledged that.

“We knew against a low block that Joao [Pedro] was going to help us because he has quality in the last third against teams that defend deep. He showed today how good he is, but it’s just the beginning,” Maresca said.

“We knew already how good Joao is. Today, he was playing a little deep, and we know how good he is at dropping and linking [with his team-mates]. He is very good technically in small spaces, and that’s why we decided to bring him here.”

Chelsea are now one game away from lifting another piece of silverware under their new head coach.

Chelsea will face either Real Madrid or PSG at the Club World Cup final, Saturday, July 13.

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Nicole Powell

Nicole is a sports writer and editor with expertise in motorsports and football, currently managing the motorsport department at Last Word On Sports (LWOS).

She thrives on blending her love for Chelsea FC with insightful football pieces and channels her admiration for Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel into compelling motorsport narratives.

Nicole is all about making an impact - whether it's delivering sharp, SEO-optimised articles, crafting strategies for digital platforms, or inspiring aspiring writers to hone their craft.

A perfectionist at heart (and mildly allergic to typos), she approaches every project with a mix of professionalism and her signature enthusiasm for all things sport.

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