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Willian confident Chelsea can overcome Palmeiras
- Chelsea face Palmeiras in a blockbuster quarter-final showdown in Philadelphia
- Former Blues star Willian will be in attendance to support the club he played at for seven years
- Tells FIFA that he expects a "hotly contested" clash at Lincoln Financial Field
Willian will be among the thousands of Chelsea FC fans at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday for the clash against SE Palmeiras with a place in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ semi-finals at stake.
Despite being Brazilian and a former part of the Seleção, it is no surprise that the winger holds little allegiance to Palmeiras in the United States. Prior to seven successful seasons with the Blues, Willian’s footballing journey kicked off at Corinthians, the fiercest rivals of the Alviverde.
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“I do think Chelsea will get through in the end,” predicted the 36-year-old player-turned-supporter in an interview with FIFA.
Willian spent the longest stint of his playing career in west London, registering 63 goals from 339 appearances and lifting five trophies between 2013 and 2020, including two Premier League titles (2014-15 and 2016-17) and the UEFA Europa League crown in the 2018-19 campaign.
Currently enjoying a well-deserved break stateside after turning out for Fulham last campaign, the Brazilian is looking forward to attending the showdown between Palmeiras and Chelsea. The quarter-final will be the first Club World Cup fixture involving Enzo Maresca’s charges that the attacking midfielder will take in from the stands.
Before seeing his former team live, Willian had already attended matches involving Inter Miami CF, CR Flamengo, FC Bayern München, Real Madrid C. F., Juventus FC and even Palmeiras.
Speaking with authority as someone who knows both clubs well, having last faced the Verdão in April 2022 during his final stint with Corinthians, with the Abel Ferreira era already well under way, Willian shared his thoughts with FIFA ahead of Friday’s heavyweight clash.
FIFA: At a Club World Cup so full of surprises, is it still possible to talk about favourites?
Willian: I think it’ll be a hotly contested match. Of course, depending on how it pans out, such as if there’s an early goal, it could become more comfortable for Chelsea, which was the case for Bayern against Flamengo. It won't be an easy game, but I do think Chelsea will get through in the end.
What kind of match are you expecting?
We’ve borne witness to so many surprises at the Club World Cup. We had the recent example of Al Hilal defending so resolutely against Manchester City. I can see Chelsea having the lion’s share of possession and Palmeiras playing on the counter.
Chelsea have undergone a full rebuild in recent years. Are you still in touch with anyone there?
The club has completely changed in the last five years. Everything has been transformed since I left, even doctors and physios. You don’t normally see such a radical overhaul. As for the current crop of players, I only played with Reece James, who I’m still in touch with every now and then. Trevoh Chalobah used to train with us sometimes and come to matches.
What about the senior players from your time? Do you still chat a lot about Chelsea?
I was part of some fantastic teams at the club and I played alongside John Terry, Petr Cech, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel. I’m still in contact with almost all of them. We sometimes discuss what’s been happening at Chelsea. We’re all still supporters deep down. Although we belong to a different era with other players and club officials, Chelsea is still Chelsea.
Who would you have liked to play with from the current squad?
I really like [Cole] Palmer and Enzo Fernandez. They are both quality players. Then there’s Moises Caicedo. I'd also mention James, but I was lucky enough to play with him already.
