As Chelsea prepare for their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semifinal against Fluminense, concerns around player fatigue and congested calendars continue to dominate the narrative. With players stretched thin and injuries looming, head coach Enzo Maresca found himself in a tense exchange with a journalist over the scheduling burden facing European clubs.
Maresca was asked about the level of importance European sides assign to the Club World Cup, especially in light of past exits by teams led by Pep Guardiola, Simone Inzaghi, and Vincent Kompany. In response, Maresca shifted the focus to the physical demands placed on his squad throughout the season.
“For me personally, it’s not that it’s not important—but we’re coming into the tournament in two very different situations. How many official matches have the Brazilian teams played this season? We’ve played 63,” Maresca said during Monday’s press conference.
“European teams come into this competition in a different way compared to Brazilian or South American teams because of the number of matches we’ve already played. But our desire to win is the same as yours. The difference lies in the conditions. We’re arriving here after having played 60 matches, and you guys…“
Before Maresca could finish, a Brazilian journalist jumped in: “We’ve played 70 in the same period. That’s even more games.” Maresca, with a smile on his face, declined to continue the debate, moving on to the next question in what became a notably tense moment.
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Brazilian teams lead in matches played over past year
Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp, and now Enzo Maresca have all voiced concerns over the increasingly packed schedules faced by European clubs. The addition of the FIFA Club World Cup has only intensified the debate over fixture congestion. But contrary to popular belief, it’s not European teams logging the highest number of games.
According to data compiled by SofaScore, which tallied matches played over the past 12 months by all Club World Cup participants, Brazilian side Flamengo leads the list with 78 matches. Surprisingly, no European team cracks the top five. That group is rounded out by Botafogo (73), Chelsea’s semifinal opponent Fluminense (72), Palmeiras (70), and Egypt’s Al Ahly (66).
The highest-ranked European club is Real Madrid, coming in sixth with 62 matches played. Chelsea, excluding Club World Cup appearances, ranks ninth with 57 matches during the same span—well off the top spots, and perhaps less than Maresca expected when raising concerns about fixture overload.
SurveyIs Enzo Maresca right to blame packed schedules for Chelsea and other European teams’ Club World Cup performances?
Is Enzo Maresca right to blame packed schedules for Chelsea and other European teams’ Club World Cup performances?
