After Manchester City’s shock elimination at the hands of Al-Hilal, Chelsea are now the Premier League’s only hope of achieving FIFA Club World Cup glory.
The Blues take on Palmeiras in the early hours of Saturday morning UK time, with the match being played in the Philadelphia heat.
Enzo Maresca and his players will know not to underestimate their opponents one bit, while Palmeiras will have hopes of producing yet another shock at the summer tournament.
Read on for NetBet’s full online betting preview, complete with football betting tips.
And if you wish to include Palmeiras vs Chelsea in a combo bet, our Acca Boost feature can increase your potential winnings, starting at 3% from three selections.
Palmeiras vs Chelsea Preview
Chelsea defeated Benfica 4-1 after extra-time in a weather-interrupted Round of 16 tie to reach this stage, with Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall netting the crucial goals in the additional 30 minutes of play.
As for Palmeiras, they too needed extra-time to reach this stage, eventually beating Brazilian rivals Botafogo 1-0 thanks to a 100th-minute goal from Paulinho.
It was the third time Palmeiras kept a clean sheet at this tournament, although key centre-back Gustavo Gomez picked up a red card late in the day against Botafogo, so he will miss the tie against Chelsea.
That is a significant blow for the South American outfit, especially as Maresca is spoilt for options in attack – with Nicolas Jackson now available again after serving a suspension.
However, the Chelsea boss will be a tad wary after watching his side against another Brazilian opponent in Flamengo during the group stage.
The West Londoners lost 3-1 after taking an early lead, and Palmeiras may look to follow the same blueprint as their compatriots.
Of course, another storyline ahead of kick-off is that of young starlet Estevao Willian, who will join Chelsea following the conclusion of the tournament.
Estevao has looked very sharp in the US, particularly in the 2-0 win over Al-Ahly in the group stage.
And this quarter-final tie represents the perfect opportunity for him to really catch Maresca’s eye – and further adorn himself to the Palmeiras faithful!
Palmeiras vs Chelsea Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Chelsea are the favourites to win this match in 90 minutes at a price of 2.04. Palmeiras are at odds of 3.75, while the draw is 3.19.
Palmeiras vs Chelsea Betting Tips
Estevao Willian to score anytime @ 5.00
As previously mentioned, Estevao will soon be a Chelsea player, so it feels like he is destined to find the back of the net in this quarter-final clash.
Player to score or assist – Pedro Neto @ 2.38
Neto really has been a star performer for Chelsea at the Club World Cup. The Portuguese winger only scored four goals in the Premier League last season, but has already netted three times in as many matches at this tournament. As such, his odds here look very good indeed!
A red card in the match – Yes @ 4.30
Prior to the quarter-finals, 12 red cards have been brandished at the Club World Cup, including one for Palmeiras and one for Chelsea. So while this selection is a risk, there could be some great value in another discipline mishap in Philadelphia.
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