Chelsea, the latest team to secure their place at the Club World Cup, will face Los Angeles FC, one of the first teams to qualify, on Sunday at Atlanta`s Mercedes-Benz Arena. Chelsea qualified by winning the UEFA Champions League in 2021, a period during which the club has undergone significant changes. Interestingly, LAFC`s roster includes Olivier Giroud, meaning they have as many former players from Thomas Tuchel`s victorious squad from that night as current Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca does in his team, captained by Reece James.
LAFC`s route to the competition was less direct and rather contentious. They gained entry after the Court of Arbitration for Sport supported FIFA`s decision to exclude Leon due to their shared ownership with Pachuca. LAFC then won a dramatic playoff match against Club America, with Denis Bouanga scoring the decisive goal in the 115th minute. This victory makes Steve Cherundolo`s side the third MLS representative in the Club World Cup.
To progress beyond the group stage, LAFC will need to overcome Esperance de Tunis and a formidable Flamengo side. Chelsea, meanwhile, are widely considered strong favorites to top their group.
Match Details
- Date: Monday, June 16
- Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium — Atlanta, GA
- Odds: Chelsea: -333; Draw +400; LAFC +850
Last Meeting
This match will be the first competitive encounter between these two teams.
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea: Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella; Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo; Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto; Nicolas Jackson
LAFC: Hugo Lloris; Sergi Palencia, Aaron Long, Maxime Chanot, Ryan Hollingshead; Igor Jesus, Tillman, Mark Delgado; Denis Bouanga, Oliver Giroud, Yaw Yeboah
Player to Watch
Olivier Giroud, LAFC: The former Chelsea striker has had a somewhat subdued start to his time in MLS, scoring only five goals in 33 appearances for LAFC. However, given that LAFC is relatively early in their season (14 games in), Giroud feels they might have an advantage over European teams arriving at the end of gruelling domestic campaigns. He stated, “These European, top European teams, they will maybe feel a bit tired after a long season, so it may be an advantage… Some of them have played 60, 70, 75 games already, so I think that`s a good test for the MLS teams. We need to grab that chance to show Europe what we`re made of.”
Storyline to Watch
Can Delap Break the No. 9 Curse? New signing Liam Delap, previously with Ipswich, joins the Blues squad for the Club World Cup and inherits the number 9 shirt. This particular jersey has a history of being a burden for wearers at Chelsea, with players like Gonzalo Higuain, Fernando Torres, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struggling while wearing it. Delap, a player who reportedly attracted interest from other Premier League clubs this summer, will face pressure to break this cycle of difficulty associated with the shirt number.
Prediction
Chelsea should benefit from having had some rest, and their cautious, possession-focused playing style appears well-suited for this tournament format. Expect them to make a strong start to their campaign. Prediction: Chelsea 3, LAFC 0
Benedict Kingsley 
Adrian Whitmore