Joao Felix among 8 Chelsea players left out of their squad for FIFA Club World Cup

Joao Felix and seven other players have been left out of Chelsea's squad for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament is set to begin on June 14 in stadiums across the United States.

In the group stage, Chelsea are set to face Leon (June 16), Flamengo (June 19), and ES Tunis (June 24). The Blues had a decent end to their season, having won the UEFA Conference League and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League after ranking fourth in the Premier League table. This week, they announced their squad for the Club World Cup, with eight players not making the cut.

On Wednesday (June 11), Chelsea announced their 28-man squad for the FIFA Club World Cup. The list did not include eight players, namely Joao Felix, Djordje Petrovic, Axel Disasi, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Kendry Paez, and Renato Veiga. Wesley Fofana was also kept out due to his injury.

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One notable exclusion is Joao Felix, who signed for the Premier League giants permanently in the summer of 2024. He was sent off on loan to AC Milan for the latter half of the campaign and returned to the Blues at the end of the season. Felix was not at his best for the Blues or AC Milan last season, which explains why coach Enzo Maresca did not count on him for the Club World Cup.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes Cole Palmer will introduce himself to the US in the Club World Cup

In a recent interview (via Chelsea Chronicle), coach Enzo Maresca spoke about their star player, Cole Palmer, and how he can make an impact on the American audience during the Club World Cup. He said:

"When you are at Chelsea your goal is always to win. So, our goal – each and every single game – will always be to try to win. I’ve said it more than once: Cole Palmer is up there with the very best top players who can produce something at any moment, create something out of nothing."

Maresca added:

"He wasn’t with me on the USA tour last summer, so it will also be a chance for him to experience the environment there and to introduce himself to North America."

Cole Palmer was key to the Blues' success this season, recording 15 goals and 12 assists in 46 outings across competitions. The Englishman delivered two assists during the Blues' 4-1 win over Real Betis during the UEFA Conference League final. He was significant in their comeback in the second half after the West London side was trailing 1-0 in the first half.

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Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar