Club World Cup: Flamengo vs Chelsea - Betting Tips, Odds & Prediction

Flamengo are back at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday morning for their second Club World Cup Group D fixture, and this time, Premier League powerhouse Chelsea is on their itinerary. 

Flamengo’s impressive 2-0 victory against Esperance de Tunis on Monday sent a clear message to Group D rivals Chelsea: the Brazilians are here not to just make up numbers. Even though the best sports betting apps in NZ foresee a win for the Blues, this clash is shaping up to be anything but easy. Read on for our football tips on this mouth-watering matchup. 

Flamengo

Filipe Luis’ side are flying high, leading the Brazilian league and looking every bit like the team that conquered South America two years ago.

Flamengo were composed and convincing in their 2-0 win against Esperance. They kept control of the ball and executed some brilliant interplays to pick the lock of the opposition defence. Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Luiz Araujo drew the line between the two sides with two decisive goals.

Betting sites in NZ are considering Rubro-Negro as the underdogs heading into this tie, but they will fancy their chances against a Chelsea side that looked far from perfect against LAFC. 

Team News: Flamengo will have to make do without Nicolas de la Cruz, who will miss the game with a knee injury. 

Predicted Lineup: Rossi; Varela, Ortiz, Pereira, Lucas; Jorginho, Pulgar; Araujo, De Arrascaeta, Gerson; Pedro.

Chelsea

Chelsea were made to work hard against LAFC, but capitalised on their chances with rare efficiency to seal a 2-0 win and start their Club World Cup quest with three points.

The biggest talking point from their opening game was Liam Delap’s debut. The £30 million signing from Ipswich Town came off the bench and instantly gave the Blues the kind of physical edge they’ve often missed.

Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez established midfield control after a shaky start. Enzo Maresca would expect his midfield duo to deliver a similar commanding performance against Flamengo. 

Team News: After his brilliant cameo against LAFC, Delap would expect to start ahead of Nicholas Jackson in the starting lineup. 

Predicted Lineup: Sanchez; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Delap.

• Flamengo had 68.5% possession in their win against Esperance. Only PSG (73.9%) and Bayern Munich (70.4%) have had higher possession in the Club World Cup so far.
• Chelsea’s 2-0 success over Los Angeles FC was the first competitive meeting between sides from England and the US.
• Chelsea have kept three clean-sheets in their last four matches.
• Flamengo kept four clean-sheets in their last four games. 

Brazilian sides are yet to taste defeat in this edition of the Club World Cup. Flamengo were brilliant in their victory against Esperance, but Chelsea will be a significant step-up. While the Blues have showed signs of vulnerability under Maresca, they have undeniable quality in the squad. 

Chelsea do come to this tournament off an exhausting campaign, so Flamengo, who are only 11 matches into their Brazilian Serie A, could be a tough opposition for the Blues. They have fresher legs and a formidable squad.

European powerhouses haven’t lost to Latin American sides in a competitive fixture since 2012. Ironically, the last time it happened, it was Chelsea who fell short—losing to Corinthians, another Brazilian outfit, in the Club World Cup final.

We believe Flamengo can force a draw in this match. 

Flamengo 1-1 Chelsea @ $8.00

Bet365 is offering $8.00 for a 1-1 draw in this fixture. Both teams have the quality to break each other down, but a high-scoring affair feels unlikely. Chelsea have tightened up defensively in recent outings, while Flamengo have kept four clean-sheets across their last five matches. All things considered, backing a 1-1 draw is a relatively low-risk punt with strong value.