"The Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain last summer was probably Enzo Maresca's finest hour as Chelsea manager. He devised a gameplan, pinging balls over Nuno Mendes for Cole Palmer to chase, backed up by Malo Gusto, that tore the European champions apart in the first half."
"PSG's recent form has been indifferent, as proved by the fact they were forced into the playoff round by a defeat by Sporting and a draw against Newcastle in their final two league-phase games, before limping to a 5-4 aggregate win over Monaco."
"Galatasaray showed both sides of their character against Juventus in the playoff round. They were exceptional in the second half of the first leg at home and Victor Osimhen may have a physical edge over the heart of Liverpool's defence. But in the second leg, even against 10 men, they wobbled badly, losing discipline and self-belief."
Chelsea and PSG meet in a Club World Cup knockout match following Chelsea's previous final victory over the European champions. Chelsea's manager devised an effective gameplan exploiting PSG's left-side vulnerability, but the team now appears weary from their US exertions. PSG struggled through the league phase, requiring a playoff win over Monaco after defeats and draws in their final games. Liverpool face Galatasaray after winning only one of five previous meetings, though they represent a more solid team than during their September defeat in Istanbul. Galatasaray demonstrated inconsistency against Juventus, showing excellence in one leg but poor discipline in another. Real Madrid and Manchester City continue their frequent matchups, meeting for the 17th time since 2012, with City having won their December league-phase encounter 2-1.
#club-world-cup-knockout-stage #chelsea-vs-psg #liverpool-vs-galatasaray #real-madrid-vs-manchester-city #match-predictions-and-analysis
Read at www.theguardian.com
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