Caicedo out to torment Flamengo again

• Moises Caicedo is excited to face Flamengo in the Club World Cup
• He netted against the Mengão almost five years ago for Independiente del Valle
• Conference League success has left the Ecuadorian hungry for more

In the second group game of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, CR Flamengo and Chelsea FC will face each other for the very first time. But for one player, the clash won’t be entirely unfamiliar.

Moises Caicedo still remembers his formative years at Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle, where he famously took on the Rio powerhouses. In the 2020 edition of the CONMEBOL Libertadores, then-champions Flamengo visited Del Valle and were turned over 5-0. The first goal of the game was scored by a young Caicedo, who also contributed an assist.

“It’s lovely to look back and remember that," the Chelsea ace told FIFA. "Now, meeting them again, I’ve got a good feeling. We will go about it in the same way, hopefully I’ll score again or provide an assist.”

Independiente del Valle and Flamengo have developed a rivalry in recent years. It all started with the 2020 Recopa Sudamericana – the South American Super Cup – where Libertadores champions, Flamengo, faced the Ecuadorians, who had won the Copa Sudamericana the previous season.

After a 2-2 draw in Quito, Flamengo won 3-0 at the Maracana, with two goals from Gerson helping them to the title. At only 18 years of age, Caicedo was still one of the youngest in the squad and didn't take to the field, but just a few months later, the two met again in the Libertadores group stage, with the midfielder now a settled member of the Black and Blues' squad.

It was not just any game for Del Valle, however, as they eyed payback. If revenge is a dish best served cold, Caicedo was pure ice as he faced the goalkeeper one-on-one in the 39th minute to open the scoring.

The slender advantage at the end of the first half was magnified after the break, and eventually ended in a 5–0 rout, which remains the heaviest defeat Flamengo has ever suffered in the Copa Libertadores.

In the return fixture, Flamengo got their own back and beat Independiente del Valle 4-0 at the Maracana, but the memories of that opening thrashing still live on in Caicedo’s memory.

Having started in the 2-0 victory over LAFC, Caicedo is trying to cap off what has been a terrific year for him individually. Besides winning the UEFA Conference League and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League as a result, the midfielder has stood out in Enzo Maresca’s team, and was voted as Chelsea’s Player of the Season while scooping the Player's Player award.

"Winning the Conference League was very good. Our confidence is higher than before because we lifted a trophy, but that’s in the past," said Caicedo. "We have another trophy ahead, and we’ll give our best because we want to win it. It would be very special for the whole team and the fans, so that’s what we want."