Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella has praised Fluminense, branding them as a team with a very high level of quality. Chelsea is set to face a Brazilian club for the third time in this year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Previously, the Blues suffered a 3-1 defeat against Flamengo during the group stage, but managed to secure a 2-1 victory over Palmeiras in the quarter-finals. Fluminense, on the other hand, remains unbeaten in the tournament, having achieved three wins and two draws in their five matches thus far. “They possess a very high level,” he stated. Cucurella stated before Tuesday’s semi-final match between Chelsea and Fluminense, “They have demonstrated in this tournament why they’ve made it to the final stages. We’ve already competed against two Brazilian teams, and now we’re set to meet a third.” They battle until the very end. We are delighted to progress to the next stage and to have the opportunity to compete against South American teams, as this is not a frequent occurrence. In general, we are having a great time at this tournament. Cucurella is set to face his ex-Chelsea colleague Thiago Silva, who moved to Fluminense after leaving the Blues. At 40 years old, Silva continues to deliver remarkable performances and remains a cornerstone of the team’s defense. The Blues are scheduled to play against Silva’s current squad on Tuesday in New York, and Cucurella is eager to compete against his former teammate, praising him as a legendary footballer and an exceptional player. He has only been with major teams and messaged me prior to the [quarter-final] match saying, ‘Let’s go, and hopefully we can meet up in a few days.’ I messaged him with, ‘Let’s get going!”
