Joao Pedro insists he's ready to rumble as Chelsea take on Fluminense in Club World Cup semi-final set to feature legendary boxing announcer

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

It is believed FIFA have hired Michael Buffer — the legendary ring announcer now aged 80 — to perform the Chelsea and Fluminense players' walk-ons in New Jersey today.
The American is set to lend his voice to the Club World Cup 's semi-finals and final, and his presence will be particularly fitting for Joao Pedro after Chelsea's new striker revealed he is ready to rumble.
After discussing the training ground bust-up he had with Jan Paul van Hecke at Brighton — an altercation which meant he missed the end of last season — the 23-year-old said he was itching to start up front ahead of Nicolas Jackson, with Liam Delap suspended.
He may have been on holiday in Brazil last week, but he took his personal trainer with him, knowing that Brighton might sell for £55million. Now, he may face former club Fluminense.
'I knew Chelsea had an interest in me, so that's why I was training harder,' Joao Pedro said. 'Imagine if I didn't train and Chelsea called me to come. I made my debut (versus Palmeiras in the quarter-finals) and I think I showed I am ready.
'If I'm going to start or not, it's not my decision, but I will try to improve, be ready for Enzo (manager Maresca)and if he needs me, we will see.
'My dream was always to play for a big club and win trophies. Chelsea have a great team, a young team, and that's why I came here.'
On his scrap with Van Hecke, Joao Pedro said: 'The people who know me know my character, but when two players want to win, these things happen. This is normal. But I now play for Chelsea, so I just want to talk about Chelsea.'
Fluminense have been the Club World Cup's ugly ducklings. They are so much the antithesis of Chelsea's youthfulness that even Maresca might still get a game for the Brazilians at the age of 45 — and that is only a slight exaggeration.
Just look at their last line-up for the match against Al Hilal. In goal was Fabio, aged 44. Diego Maradona was still playing when he began his professional career.
Thiago Silva, 40, marshalled their three-man defence, flanked by two defenders aged 25 and 28. On their right wing was Samuel Xavier, 35. On their left, Gabriel Fuentes, 28. Their striker was German Cano, 37, and they brought some other thirty-somethings off the bench.
The average age of Fluminense's team at the Club World Cup has been 31 years and 12 days, making them the oldest side at the tournament. Chelsea have averaged 24 years and 124 days by comparison.
Despite that, Maresca insisted this semi-final is not theirs to lose, saying: 'I don't think we are favourites.
There are no favourites. We already had one entire season being the youngest team in the Premier League. This will be a good test. Joao is ready, but we also have Nico.'
It will be a nice reunion for Silva whose teenage sons, Iago and Isago, are in Chelsea's academy. Despite now living in Brazil, he visits Cobham often and occasionally watches first-team training under Maresca with an eye to a move into coaching.
'I'm not a spy,' Silva joked. 'I don't know Maresca that well, but I do know a lot of players there. I talk to them practically every week.
'It's going to be a special day for me, but it will be even more special if we win.
'It will be special if I can eliminate Chelsea, with all the love I have for them.'
Fluminense may be older, wiser and better suited to Chelsea's 'Pensioners' nickname.
But they should know that if Joao Pedro is thrown in to face them today he will fight, even if they did give him his start in professional football.