Chelsea have been handed a major advantage ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain, as Softfootball can confirm that the French giants will be without Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez when they take on the Blues at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Both teams were forced to cope without key players in their respective semi-final clashes, PSG against Real Madrid and Chelsea against Fluminense, with Pacho and Hernandez suspended for PSG and Liam Delap and Levi Colwill missing for Chelsea.
However, while Chelsea will welcome back their suspended players, PSG will not be as fortunate. Unlike Delap and Colwill, who missed out due to yellow card accumulation, Pacho and Hernandez were shown straight red cards in PSG’s 2-0 quarter-final victory over Bayern Munich.
Pacho was sent off for a reckless challenge on Leon Goretzka, while Hernandez received his marching orders after elbowing Raphael Guerreiro in an off-the-ball incident. FIFA judged both actions as serious foul play, and the players were charged under the FIFA Disciplinary Code, earning two-match bans each.
Although PSG still have the option to appeal the suspension, credible reports, including from PSG Report on X, have suggested that the club has already granted both players permission to go on holiday, signalling no appeal is expected.
While this is a significant setback for PSG, Chelsea fans will be delighted, especially with Willian Pacho’s absence. The Colombian defender has formed a solid partnership with Marquinhos in central defence, playing a crucial role in PSG’s unbeaten run and near-impenetrable backline.
Although Lucas Hernandez is not a guaranteed starter, his versatility and reliability off the bench have often proven useful. His absence could be costly should things not go as planned in the final.
Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez served the first match ban during the 4-0 semi-final win over Real Madrid, and Softfootball can confirm they will also miss the final against Chelsea.
Lucas Beraldo is expected to fill in for Pacho, as he did in the semi-final against Real Madrid. The young defender will have the difficult task of helping PSG maintain a defensive record that has seen them concede just once against Botafogo throughout the competition.
With Chelsea at full strength and PSG missing two key players, the final promises to be even more intriguing.
