Palmeiras vs Chelsea preview, H2H, team news, line-ups, and prediction

Palmeiras and Chelsea will kick off the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals next Friday at Lincoln Financial Field in what would be the rematch of the 2021 final of this competition played under the old format.

Since that dramatic 2-1 victory at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on 12 February 2022, Chelsea have undergone a sweeping transformation, making it easier to highlight what has remained the same rather than what has changed.

Only two members of that title-winning squad are still part of the first team—Reece James, who now captains his boyhood side but missed the 2022 final due to injury, and Trevoh Chalobah, who was on the bench in Abu Dhabi and has featured twice during this year’s Club World Cup campaign. The shifts in both ownership and coaching staff further underline the radical overhaul the club has undergone since that continental triumph.

Having already completed their trophy cabinet by clinching every significant honour available—including the newly established UEFA Conference League—the Blues are determined to secure another Club World Cup title on American soil. Palmeiras, meanwhile, will be driven by a desire for revenge and a chance to emerge as South America’s top-performing team in this tournament.

Chelsea’s journey to the quarter-finals has been anything but straightforward. After finishing second in Group D, they edged Benfica in a dramatic round-of-16 clash last Saturday in Charlotte. The game, which lasted over four hours due to a near two-hour extreme weather delay, ended in a 4-1 extra-time win for the Premier League side, courtesy of three late goals in the additional period.

Aside from their defeat to Flamengo and a stoppage-time penalty that kept Benfica alive, Chelsea have largely coasted through without ever appearing to reach top gear. Even in the chaotic match against the Portuguese giants, they proved ruthless once the game reopened.

That triumph not only pushed Chelsea one step closer to lifting the Club World Cup trophy once more but also delivered a financial boost to their growing revenue stream, strengthening both their competitive and commercial footing.

Despite enjoying managerial stability under their Portuguese head coach Abel Ferreira, who has been at the club since November 2020, Palmeiras have consistently overhauled their playing squad with each passing season. This gradual evolution means that just five players who started the 2021 Club World Cup final—including goalkeeper Weverton—are still part of the club’s current setup.

They began their Club World Cup campaign in promising form, earning a draw against Porto while largely outplaying the Portuguese side. But the perception of that result quickly shifted after Porto slumped to a shock defeat against Inter Miami and were then held to a 4-4 stalemate by Al Ahly, making Palmeiras’ point appear less impressive in hindsight.

Nonetheless, Abel Ferreira’s men regrouped and eliminated Botafogo to secure passage to the next stage.

In recent years, the rivalry between Palmeiras and Botafogo has become a standout fixture in Brazilian football. Their battle for the 2024 Brasileirão Serie A crown, followed by a dramatic 2024 Copa Libertadores round-of-16 clash that ended 4-3 on aggregate in favour of Botafogo, cemented the intensity of this matchup. Notably, Igor Jesus, who has since been linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, scored in both legs of that Libertadores tie.

The most recent encounter before the Club World Cup took place in the opening fixture of the 2025 domestic season, a goalless draw that produced 26 shots and a combined expected goals (xG) of 2.26—yet no breakthrough. Palmeiras hadn’t defeated Botafogo in their last five meetings, a winless streak stretching back to November 2023.

That barren run finally ended in Philadelphia, where Paulinho struck a dramatic winner in the 100th minute, settling a fiercely contested battle. Palmeiras finished the match with 10 men following Gustavo Gómez’s late red card but held on to book a quarter-final showdown with Chelsea.

Palmeiras vs. Chelsea match details

• Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
• Location: Philadelphia, USA
• Venue: Lincoln Financial Field
• Kick-off time: 09:00pm ET / 06:00pm PT / 02:00am BST
• Tickets: You can buy Club World Cup tickets through the clubs or via an online reseller such as Seatsnet.com.

Match stats and head-to-head

• This quarter-final tie will be a rematch of the 2022 Club World Cup final, where a 117th-minute Kai Havertz penalty secured a 2-1 win for Chelsea.

• Despite not playing more than 45 minutes in any of his three games (a total of 115 minutes), Raphael Veiga generated the most opportunities of any player in Group A (8).

•  Throughout the group stage, Chelsea-bound winger Estêvão led all Palmeiras players in take-on attempts (12) and successful take-ons (6). Of these, 11 occurred in the opposing half, four more than any other Palmeiras player. In the other team’s box, he also had the most touches (18).

• Palmeiras conceded the fewest goals of any team in their first two games against UEFA opponents in the FIFA Club World Cup, giving up only one goal each in their matchups against Atletico Madrid and PSG.

• Chelsea have only attempted 20+ shots twice in their last 15 games, once at home against Ipswich Town and the last time in 120 minutes against Benfica (eight of the 22 efforts were in extra time).

Team news

Of the 32 players who featured in the 2022 Club World Cup final—which Chelsea won 2-1—Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton is expected to be the only starting XI player involved from the outset when the two clubs meet again in Philadelphia on Friday. While Verdão have retained the services of Abel Ferreira, who has been at the helm since November 2020, the London side have undergone sweeping changes. Thomas Tuchel, who masterminded the previous win, has long departed, and Enzo Maresca now occupies the dugout.

For the clash against Chelsea, Palmeiras captain Gustavo Gomez will miss out through suspension after being sent off in the round of 16, a 1-0 win against Botafogo.

The team will also be without left-back Joaquin Piquerez, who is suspended for this clash after picking up a second yellow card of the tournament in the all-Brazilian round of 16 clash.

Brazil winger Estêvão, who will join Chelsea next month, will have the chance to meet his new employers.

Palmeiras have had to manage Paulinho’s game time at the Club World Cup, with the winger coming back after recovering from a stress fracture in the tibia of his right leg. But for the second game running, he made an impact as a substitute against Botafogo, and he could now earn a starting role.

However, the 24-year-old is unlikely to start on Friday against Chelsea, as Ferreira confirmed that the forward is managing a leg issue and is expected to undergo surgery after the competition, limiting his involvement to brief cameos.

For Chelsea, French centre-back Benoit Badiashile was injured during Saturday’s dramatic extra-time win over Benfica in the round of 16 and left the ground on crutches, much to the dismay of fans with Chelsea tickets.

He looks almost sure to miss out against Palmeiras along with star midfielder Moises Caicedo, who picked up a second booking of the campaign against Benfica to earn a one-match suspension.

Blues boss Enzo Maresca must now decide who to draft into the side as their replacements as Chelsea bid to reach the semi-finals, with Andrey Santos in line to feature.

The Blues will be boosted by the return of striker Nicolas Jackson after serving a two-match ban.

Predicted starting lineup

Palmeiras Predicted starting lineup:

Weverton (c); Giay, Micael, Bruno Fuchs; Mayke, Rios, Martinez, Vanderlan; Allan, Vitor Roque, Estêvão.

Chelsea predicted starting lineup:

Sanchez; James (c), Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Essugo, Lavia; Palmer, Fernandez, Pedro Neto; Delap.

Prediction

Chelsea favour a measured, possession-based style, aiming to control tempo and gradually break down defences. At the same time, Palmeiras thrive in a defensive setup, often preferring to absorb pressure before launching quick, incisive counter-attacks — a hallmark of Abel Ferreira’s reign.

The West Londoners have often shown a willingness to play the long game. Across their last 15 outings, they’ve only taken 20 or more shots twice. Enzo Maresca’s side are unlikely to deviate from their patient pattern, and Palmeiras, too, won’t hesitate to embrace a scrappy, pragmatic brand of football if that edges them closer to victory.

Given the nature of knockout football, both sides are expected to be extra cautious, which could naturally restrict the number of clear-cut chances throughout the tie. In Serie A, Palmeiras have built a reputation for deliberately disrupting opponents’ rhythm before trying to impose themselves—a methodical strategy that can feel laboured for supporters but has yielded success under Ferreira.

We’re predicting a 2-1 win for Chelsea