Chelsea enjoyed a straightforward win over LAFC in their opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, but things should get tougher for the Blues on Friday afternoon.
Flamengo, currently in first place in Brazil’s Serie A, comes into Friday’s tilt off a 2-0 win over ES Tunis, running the Mengão’s unbeaten run to nine matches. They’ve conceded just three goals in that span.
Chelsea is still the odds-on favorite to win this match, but this could be a tricky spot for Enzo Maresca’s side.
FIFA Club World Cup: Chelsea vs. Flamengo betting preview
This should be quite a fun stylistic matchup.
While Chelsea wants to be on the ball and pass you to death, Flamengo is happy to sit deep and defend in a compact 4-4-2, forcing you to break them down.
That isn’t unusual for a team coming out of South America – club teams in Brazil, Argentina, etc. tend to play more low-event matches than their counterparts in Europe – but you could argue nobody makes this style work for them more than Flamengo.
Filipe Luis’ team has allowed just four goals and 6.3 expected goals in 11 matches in the league this season, and they haven’t conceded more than one goal in their last 10 games across all competitions.
It isn’t just the defense that does the talking for Flamengo. They have also scored more goals than any team in Serie A, despite playing fewer matches than most of the league.
FIFA Club World Cup: Chelsea vs. Flamengo pick
Chelsea’s talent and depth is on another level compared to Flamengo, but the Brazilian side is absolutely live to get something out of this game.
They’re well-organized, dangerous in front of the goal, and should be up for this challenge after putting together a dominant stretch of soccer over the last three months.
The Play: Flamengo +320 (FanDuel)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
