New Zealand side Auckland City FC have withdrawn from the FIFA Club World Cup due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related quarantine measures placed by the New Zealand government.
Auckland would have faced Al Jazira in the first round on February 3, with the winners facing Al Hilal in the second round. The winner of that match would have then faced Chelsea in the semi-finals of the competition.
An official statement from the club read: “We're obviously bitterly disappointed that circumstances have put participation beyond our reach for the second year in a row. A lot of hard work and effort went into preparing to compete in the UAE, so to be unable to go is a blow."
The Blues are set to play their first game of the competition on February eighth, with a place in the final up for grabs.
Thomas Tuchel can lead his side to a first-ever success in the tournament, with their only appearance in the Club World Cup ending in a 1-0 defeat to Corinthians in the final of 2012.
The Chelsea boss spoke in early December about the competition, but played down its importance.
He said: “We need to be aware of the lack of time of recovery in between. This is what we do. There is zero focus on the World Cup right now.”
The tournament offers another chance at silverware since Tuchel’s arrival earlier in the year, where he managed to win the Champions League that earned them qualification.
It could also help the Blues find that winning form they had earlier on in the season. The side set the pace in the opening weeks of the Premier League season, but have since fallen away.
Chelsea are currently eight points behind leaders Manchester City and with a host of injuries and a Covid outbreak to contend with, December has been a tough month.
The Club World Cup might provide the perfect respite after a January that involves matches against Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham three times.
We will see how seriously Tuchel takes the competition when it comes around, but one certainty is that they won’t be facing Auckland following their withdrawal.
