“He’s a legend of football, a top player" - Chelsea star on prospect of facing former teammate Thiago Silva at the Club World Cup

Fluminense FC v Al-Hilal: Quarter Final - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 - Source: Getty
Fluminense FC v Al-Hilal: Quarter Final - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 - Source: Getty

Chelsea's Marc Cucurella is relishing the prospect facing club legend Thiago Silva in the semifinal of the FIFA Club World Cup on Tuesday, July 8, at the MetLife Stadium. The Blues lock horns with Fluminense for a place in the tournament final, where they could face either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

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Thiago Silva, meanwhile, left the London giants last summer to move back to his boyhood club Fluminense. The Brazilian was a revelation during his stay at Chelsea, winning the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. He has 155 appearances for the London giants in his career.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's game, as cited by The Independent, Cucurella revealed that he has already exchanged messages with his former teammate.

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“We’ve watched some of their games. They have very good players, they are very determined and they have Thiago Silva. He’s a legend of football, a top player. He’s only played for big clubs and texted me before the (quarter-final) game saying, ‘Let’s go, hopefully we can see you in a couple of days’. I texted him saying, ‘Let’s go!’" said Cucurella.
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He continued:

“We have the opportunity to play against him again and hopefully we can do good things and win this game and play in the final which is what we want to do.”

Marc Cucurella and Thiago Silva have appeared together 41 times for the Blues.


Have Chelsea secured the services of Jamie Gittens this summer?

Jamie Gittens
Jamie Gittens

Chelsea have announced the arrival of Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund this summer. The Blues have reportedly agreed to pay £48.5m upfront, with a further £3.5m in add-ons, for the Englishman.

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Gittens was outstanding for the BVB in the 2024-25 campaign, registering 12 goals and five assists from 49 games across competitions. There was severe interest in his services this summer, but the London giants managed to win the race.

Speaking to Chelsea's website after completing the move, the 20-year-old said that he is eager to meet his new teammates.

"It feels great. It’s a great feeling to join such a big club as Chelsea. I can’t wait to learn from everyone in the team and to push myself to the max here. It’s an amazing feeling," said Gittens.

Gittens could be a replacement for Jadon Sancho, who has left Stamford Bridge after the Blues decided against signing him permanently this summer.

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Edited by Deepungsu Pandit
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