How to oppose tired Club World Cup challengers on Matchday 1

Today we look at how Europe’s three CWC semi-finalists might make a slow start as they return to league action. They’ve barely had time to rest.

Odds courtesy of 1xBet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

Lots of football, very little break

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain entered the Club World Cup off the back of long, demanding campaigns. Both have gone all the way in European competitions, and both have given everything along the way. The end result was a shock, with PSG’s 65th - yes, 65th game of the season proving to be a bridge too far.

The Blues have added yet another trophy to their growing collection, but they have just a few weeks before returning to action. Luis Enrique’s team missed out on this one, even after thumping Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid - and now all three must turn their focus to league action.

All of the teams have players who have played lots of football over the last year. Maresca, Enrique and Alonso may decide to manage some minutes carefully when competitive football returns.

Bradley Barcola, for instance, played his 64th match of the year over the weekend - Fede Valverde played his 65th in the semi-finals. Chelsea, meanwhile, have five players who have all made 50+ appearances in 2024/25, and that’s not including their international outings.

They’re strong teams, as proven in the USA, but may not be at their best when Premier League, Ligue 1 and La Liga football returns. Here we look at how you could oppose them on Matchday 1 in a few weeks’ time. They don’t have a lot of time to recover.

Opening day isn’t far away

Chelsea, PSG and Real Madrid’s players won’t have much of a break before being called back for the start of preseason. Many of their players played over 50 matches for their respective clubs in 2024/25, and they will be expected to do so again in the campaign ahead. Naturally, such a workload takes its toll. 

Maresca’s Blues open their Premier League season with a home game against FA Cup winners, Crystal Palace. They’re favourites to win, as you’d expect from the world champions, but they could find things tough. In normal circumstances, you might expect a comfortable home victory - but this time around, Palace will fancy their chances to find the net.

Meanwhile, Enrique’s side faced a harsh reality check at MetLife Stadium. After months of dominance as European champions, Chelsea came in and dealt them a heavy blow. They should still beat Nantes, but it could take them some time to find their feet again - an improved second-half could prove crucial.

Los Blancos’ 2024/25 campaign was a tough one to take. They missed out on every piece of silverware available, despite playing a whopping 68 games over the course of the season. They open their new campaign against Osasuna, and five of their last eight meetings ended with both teams scoring. A tired Real could be vulnerable at the back again.

Although defeat seems unlikely given their strengths and their opposition, fatigue is a genuine factor, and their competitors will sense an opportunity.