Chelsea have touched down at their training headquarters in Philadelphia ahead of the eagerly awaited commencement of the FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday.
The Conference League victors arrived in the US just before 8:30 PM local time (2:30 AM CET) and then headed to their tournament base at the Union Training Facility in Chester.
In the restructured tournament, Chelsea finds themselves in Group D, set to compete against Brazilian giants Flamengo, Tunisian underdogs Esperance Tunis, and MLS outfit Los Angeles FC, who recently secured a spot in the tournament by defeating Club América in a playoff to take the place of Club León.
Club León was excluded from the tournament due to FIFA regulations concerning owners having stakes in more than one participating club, as Grupo Pachuca also retains a controlling interest in Liga MX side CF Pachuca.
CF Pachuca is situated in Group H, which is arguably the most challenging group, alongside RB Salzburg, Real Madrid, and Al Hilal.
The Blues will kick off their campaign against Los Angeles FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on June 16th.
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Arise Sir David!
In other news, Inter Miami’s co-owner, and newly knighted Sir David Beckham, was present as manager Javier Mascherano put his star-studded squad, featuring Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, through their final training session ahead of their opening match against Egypt’s Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium in the city on Saturday.
Mascherano expressed his eagerness for the electric atmosphere as the competition gets underway.
“We’re in a truly unique location because, despite being in the United States, we’re in an area with a significant Latino community, which really enhances that Latin American vibe,” he stated.
Unfortunately, defender Jordi Alba will miss the opening clash due to a leg muscle injury but is expected to return for the match against Porto in Atalanta on Thursday, as well as the final group game against Palmeiras in South Florida.
Another setback for the Major League Soccer club is the absence of defensive midfielder Yannick Bright from the opener.
“Naturally, we would have preferred to have everyone in good shape for this match to have our complete squad, which would make us stronger,” Mascherano commented.
“This competition is like no other, and we feel privileged to be a part of it. We’ve earned this opportunity through our achievements last year, and it’s a significant chance to gauge our capabilities and see where we stand.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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