Jorgensen: Unfamiliar opponents make Club World Cup harder for Chelsea
Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen says the Club World Cup will be one of the most difficult tournaments for the team, as they will face opponents they know little about.
The Blues are set to begin their campaign in the newly expanded 32-team competition on Monday against LAFC in Atlanta. They will also take on Flamengo and Esperance de Tunis in Group D.
While Chelsea are seen as favourites to advance to the knockout stage, Jorgensen believes the real challenge lies in preparing for teams they don’t often follow or play against.
“We don’t know or maybe follow these teams as much as we do with other teams from Europe, so it’s definitely a bit harder,” Jorgensen told the club’s official website. “We will try to study them as much as we can in videos and learn about all the players we are going to face.”
Jorgensen added that the unfamiliarity adds a layer of difficulty not usually faced in the Premier League or European competitions, where teams are more familiar with each other’s style and players.
Still, the Chelsea shot-stopper is excited about the challenge. “It’s the World Cup to be the best in the world — it’s always fun. We’ll have a great time and hopefully we can win it.”
Chelsea are hoping to prove their quality on the global stage, just as they did against top European sides during the domestic season.
