Prior to Chelsea’s 3–0 win over PSG in the Club World Cup final, a harmless FIFA dinner can be said to have primed the pump, according to emerging reports from The Times. On the eve of the game, Chelsea’s delegation noticed that PSG officials were preoccupied with how and where they’d receive the trophy. That information was quickly passed on to head coach Enzo Maresca, who shared it with his team.
The message was loud and clear: PSG already believed they had won. Maresca converted their overconfidence into fuel for his players, and they came back with a scorching first half that left the French giants stunned.
Maresca explained afterward:
“I think we won the game in the first 10 minutes and the message before the game was to make them understand that we are here to win the game. I think the first 10 minutes the team was there. It probably set a little bit the tone of the game.”
How Chelsea Beat PSG
Chelsea’s press suffocated PSG’s midfield, and the psychological boost gained overnight was reflected in the increased energy levels.
Cole Palmer hit twice, and a third by João Pedro before the break put the game to bed in quick time. PSG, with players who had just achieved the treble, couldn’t recover from the early assault. Although they had technical excellence on paper, they were tactically and mentally outplayed.
After the game, Pedro said:
“PSG have won the Champions League, they have a great team, but we know our power as well. We have a great team as well, and we just needed to play the game, and in the end, we’re happy to win.”
The win was Chelsea’s second Club World Cup win and their second trophy win under Maresca. What reportedly began as an overheard chat at a dinner gala concluded as victory for the Blues, who are preparing for next season’s Premier League campaign.
