Chelsea, however, is considered the favourite to win the opening match. The team has only two weeks to prepare for the tournament, which falls in the middle of their domestic season. Steve Cherundolo and his LAFC side will need to perform well against Chelsea before facing their other opponents in Group D, Tunis and Flamengo.
One of Chelsea's key players is Cole Palmer. Since his debut in 2023, Palmer has made 66 goal contributions (40 goals, 26 assists), which is a testament to his quality. However, he struggled in the second half of the 2024/25 season, scoring only three goals and one assist after January 14th. Palmer will need to prove himself in this tournament, despite his doubters.
Chelsea has other threats besides Palmer. Players like Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, and Nicolas Jackson can also make a difference in the game. LAFC should not focus solely on Palmer, as they risk being outplayed by these other talented players.
Chelsea's defence has been strong, with only Newcastle scoring more than once against them in their last eight games. Moises Caicedo, a midfielder, has recovered possession on 229 occasions, the most in the Premier League. LAFC will need to find ways to isolate Caicedo or match Chelsea's midfield intensity.
Olivier Giroud, a French player who played for Chelsea from 2018 to 2021, will also be looking to improve his record against the team. In 16 matches against Chelsea, he has scored only one goal, and the West Londoners remain the only team he has played against at least 10 times without scoring two or more goals.
LAFC has another player with European pedigree, Denis Bouanga, who has been scoring goals this season. With 27 goals in all competitions last season, Bouanga is a player Chelsea cannot ignore. Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, is also an ex-Premier League ace who gets to renew an old rivalry.
For LAFC, getting past the group stage will bring some financial reward, but their main focus is on their MLS duties. They have important fixtures against Vancouver, Austin, Colorado, and FC Dallas before the Club World Cup final. Missing out on the tournament might not be the worst thing, given their position in the Western Conference.
From FIFA's perspective, a competitive match like this would be preferable to a one-sided affair, which would give the Club World Cup no credibility. A spectacle like the PSG vs Atletico game would be more desirable than the 10-0 hammering dished out to Auckland City by Bayern Munich.
