The revamped FIFA Club World Cup is almost at its conclusion but we have one enticing final matchup still to come.
Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain will do battle in the showpiece event on Sunday to bring the month-long, 32-team tournament to an end, and both sides are tantalizingly close to more major silverware and world champion status.
The encounter between European powerhouses will be fought fiercely and could well be a duel of fine margins—although there appears one clear favorite for the crown.
But who does the fabled Opta supercomputer back to clinch the title?
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Supercomputer Predicts Club World Cup Champion
Having just been crowned European champions and considering they have conceded just once at the tournament thus far, it’s hardly surprising to see PSG tipped as favorites to win.
The French giants have managed 4–0 victories over both Madrid teams and Inter Miami CF, as well as crucial 2–0 wins against Seattle Sounders and Bayern Munich. Bar one slip up against Botafogo in their second group game, Luis Enrique’s side have been pretty much perfect.
They are comfortably the best organized and most devastating team in world football and that’s why they’re given a 64.42% chance of winning the final against Chelsea.
The Blues have been impressive at the tournament under Enzo Maresca but will need to produce the best performance of the Italian’s era to lift the trophy at MetLife Stadium. Their extremely favorable run to the final means this will be their sternest test by quite some margin.
Chelsea’s only European opponents have been Benfica en route to the final but they have caught the eye in back-to-back wins over Brazilian sides Palmeiras and Fluminense. The Blues certainly have the individual quality and squad depth to cause PSG major problems, but they can’t enter the final with an inferiority complex if they’re to triumph.
Chelsea’s 35.58% chance of winning the final reflects some of their inconsistencies, but more than anything, it underscores just how exceptional this PSG team are right now.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea vs. PSG: Supercomputer Predicts FIFA Club World Cup Winner.
