Chelsea’s Club World Cup win completes Abramovich’s 19-year quest to be the best in the world

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Roman Abramovich clapped his hands together just once when the moment came. Sitting cross-legged in the VIP area of ​​the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Chelsea The owner cheers for his assistant as a smile spreads across his face, glimpsed with the black mask lowered after taking a sip of the still water.

The value of winning the Club World Cup may be more strongly questioned in Europe than in the rest of the world, but 2-1 win over Palmeiras in Saturday’s final, the Blues became the best team in the world. It was a decisive night in the 19-year journey for Abramovich, who bought Chelsea in 2003 with the express purpose of achieving world domination.

The way they reached the top during these 120 minutes, securing the 21st trophy of his reign, is emblematic of his lavishly funded approach: two out of three expensive signings. Chelsea’s most valuable player in history scored the goal, the striker worth £ 97.5 million. Romelu Lukaku with a towering header and £71m midfielder Kai Havertz with a penalty in the 117th minute on either side, Raphael Veiga took the penalty, forcing extra time.

Abramovich quickly entered the field, flanked by chief executive Marina Granovskaia. The pair embraced head coach Thomas Tuchel, who had flown in less than 24 hours earlier to help deliver on this latest success, before engaging in a lengthy conversation with technical and performance director Petr Cech .

– Interview with Pulisic: The US star focuses on the rediscovery of sparks
– Daily ESPN FC live stream on ESPN+ (US only)
– No ESPN? Instant access

Cech was a player when Chelsea lost their only previous final in the competition, a decade ago to Corinthians, and he spoke to the team in Abu Dhabi before a training session earlier this week, pointing out why. Why this is the opportunity to seize.

In 2012, Cech felt Chelsea were unprepared in believing that other awards were more important and in any case, they felt they would have won it at one point or another if they had turned out so well. . Cech had an illustrious career but never had another shot at the Club World Cup.

Only five clubs have won every major trophy in existence: Juventus, Ajax, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and now Chelsea. This is the magnificent company Abramovich hopes to keep, a mission statement that has informed a culture of ruthless hiring and firing of managers and an investment of more than £2 billion.

“We won it all,” the Chelsea fans used to sing. Now that is actually true.

He still talks to Cech as the Chelsea team gathers center stage and captains Cesar Azpilicueta raise the trophy. A few minutes later, the Russian billionaire stood slightly apart from everyone, arms outstretched after performing a celebration before Cech reunited.

That special duo – along with former stalwarts John Terry and Didier Drogba, also in attendance – know the trials and tribulations Chelsea have endured in their ascent to the top of the game more than any other. Who. They will also know how difficult it is to stay there.

Those who believe this competition take the place are curious that it is technically the highest title on offer but at the same time just a footnote to their season in context. Premier League and Champions League The goals they pursue will be enough to make them nervous about the challenges ahead.

Palmeiras are tough opponents, especially since a strong 15,000-strong army has transformed this particular corner of Abu Dhabi into something of a suburb of Sao Paulo, a sea of ​​blue and white visible in the distance. large areas of all four sides of this stadium. The noise, even an hour before the game started, was jarring and continued the game, setting a challenging track for their team’s containment and counterattack game plan, ready to give way. territory and ownership in an attempt to expose Chelsea during the break.

It almost worked. Dudu squandered more than one possible counter-attack and Chelsea rushed to create many, cumbersome and often careless balls.

Tuchel, who missed Wednesday’s semi-final win over Al Hilal while self-isolating in London after testing positive for COVID-19, made some surprising changes, dropping Jorginho and Hakim Ziyech while restoring Mason Mountain to the starting XI. Edouard Mendy’s return is harsh Kepa Arrizabalaga but understandable given the form of the newly crowned African Cup of Nations champions.

Mount lasted just half an hour as he appeared to be struggling with a recurrence of the ankle injury that had sidelined him at the end of the year, with Christian Pulisic was introduced before Ziyech to replace him. The changes seem to contribute to a discrete display, but there is one change, Callum Hudson-Odoi for Marcus Alonso, it pays off when England The international created the opening goal from a left-back position. Lukaku met Hudson-Odoi’s pass in the 55th minute with a towering header, a superb jump worthy of his opportunity and salary.

VAR is Chelsea’s enemy and then their friend. At the 64th minute, Thiago Silva was tried for consideration handled in the box when he challenged Gustavo Gomez. Raphael Veiga successfully shot the penalty afterwards.

Honestly, what follows is a bit of a mess and the clearest sign that Tuchel still has work to do to figure out how to make Chelsea stronger against defensively ready teams like Palmeiras did. here.

There were at least two changes to the system, Lukaku and Hudson-Odoi were drawn on equal points and both were enjoying an encouraging evening and Pulisic was asked to play at left-back. Pulisic and Ziyech argued with each other at one point as they pointed in different directions. The confusion became apparent as Chelsea struggled to reassert themselves and the game looked certain to drift into a penalty shootout.

Instead, three minutes into extra time, an Azpilicueta shot hit Palmeiras defender Luhan and Australian referee Chris Beath scrutinized it before awarding a penalty.

Wisely, Azpilicueta overcame attempts by several Palmeiras players to stop him as he kept the ball in position before handing it over to Havertz. The man who scored the winning goal in the Champions League final last May with City of Manchester this time crown the world, send goalkeeper Weverton wrong way.

Luan’s misery was complete as he was sent off after another VAR review for knocking Havertz down when he rushed in, but Palmeiras’ race was on. As the referee weighed the decision, Abramovich signaled to one of the men behind his chair that he wanted to come off the field of play full time.

Abramovich is a rare visitor to Stamford Bridge these days, since withdrawing his visa application amid diplomatic tensions between Britain and Britain. Russia in 2018. But he was in Porto to watch his team win the Champions League and he will never miss it.

Tuchel knew, however, that what happened next was never far from the owner’s mind.