After Chelsea secured a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup final, the English Premier League side reportedly made a special request.
Check Out: New Signing Fires Chelsea To CWC Final
Chelsea qualified for the Club World Cup following a convincing 2-0 win over Fluminense, courtesy of a brace from new signing João Pedro.
The Blues will face the current UEFA Champions League winners PSG after the Paris side routed Real Madrid 4-0 in the tournament's other semi-final.
Enzo Maresca's team have played 64 games in all competitions this season in what has been a busy campaign that culminated in a UEFA Conference League victory.
The Club World Cup final will be the team's 65th and final game of the season, and the competition ends just 34 days before their opening game of the 2025/26 English Premier League season.
According to The Mirror, the Premier League bosses had reportedly rejected Chelsea's request to have their opening game postponed, leaving Maresca in a tough position.
Chelsea allegedly asked for help from the Premier League, but the Chief Football Officer, Tony Scholes, insisted that neither Chelsea nor Manchester City would receive special treatment following their Club World Cup exploits.
The Italian now has just over a month for his players to enjoy a pre-season break, to return to pre-season and get the players match-ready for the new season.
The Premier League is of the view that the Club World Cup is part of the challenges teams will face due to FIFA's expansion. The Conference League winners viewed the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons as one long season, but that does not ease the pressure on Maresca and his players.
Speaking ahead of the tournament in May, Maresca said he would have to manage his players going into next season.
Check Out: Shabba Soaks Up New York Trip As Chelsea Cruise Past Fluminense
"For sure, there is a chance we have players who, because of the amount of games, can get injured or be tired. Then we see how we need to be," he said.
The stage is set for the Club World Cup final! Click below to get in on the action.
Chelsea and PSG meet in the Club World Cup final this Sunday night in a mouth-watering clash of European giants. With silverware on the line, it’s all to play for.
Back your team now on Soccer 13, Soccer 10, Mega 10 Jackpot and more at tab.co.za.
