Chelsea suffered a shock 3-1 defeat against Brazilian side Flamengo in their second Group D match at the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Pedro Neto had given the Blues an early lead in the first half, but Flamengo responded with a dominant second-half display to seal a remarkable comeback.
To add to Chelsea’s woes, striker Nicolas Jackson was sent off, further dampening their night. Despite the result, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed that the team had anticipated a tough match. As quoted by Daily Star, after the game, Maresca said the defeat was not entirely unexpected.
“We expected a tough game because Flamengo is a very good team, with good players and a good manager. They play very well, and in Brazil they are top of the league, unbeaten for many games, so it was not a surprise for us,” he said.
“The red card is nothing to do with Nico’s future.” – Maresca
Maresca also addressed Nicolas Jackson’s red card, making it clear that the incident would not affect the striker’s future at the club. Jackson reportedly apologised to his teammates after the game.
“The red card is nothing to do with Nico’s future. He had the first one at Newcastle when Liam wasn’t even here and another one today. Today, I am not 100 percent sure it was a red card, but Nico knows very well that in both situations, it was not something good for the team,” the Chelsea boss said.
Maresca further reflected on Chelsea’s tactical approach, noting that the team experimented with a different formation in preparation for the upcoming season. Chelsea lined up in a 4-3-3 for the first time under Maresca.
“For the first time we played in a different structure today, just to prepare also for next season, to have more options. Today the plan was different — I think the plan was quite good for one hour. Then we conceded the goal and then the second one. I think in the end, and also with 10 men, they deserved to win the game,” he added.
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