Cesar Azpilicueta in action for Chelsea. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Speaking in an interview, as quoted by the Daily Mail, Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta has sent a warning to his teammates to make the most of their FIFA Club World Cup opportunity ahead of the Blues’ semi-final fixture against Al Hilal today.
The Blues head straight into the Club World Cup semi-final as the defending European champions, while their opponents had to play in the quarter-finals to progress to the later stages of the competition.
Although Azpilicueta’s immediate focus will be on making sure he leads his side to the final, he will also be eyeing the trophy in the summit clash. It remains the only major trophy the skipper has not won at club level with Chelsea as of yet.
Azpiliceuta’s last attempt at winning the Club World Cup came in his first season with the Blues, with the London side narrowly missing out on the title after losing 1-0 to South American champions Corinthians. This time around, he will look to make amends for the previous loss.
Having joined the club in 2012, Azpilicueta has enjoyed a trophy-laden career with Chelsea. Most recently winning the UEFA Champions League and Super Cup, the Spaniard will now be looking to win the Club World Cup to round off a fabulous past year for both him and the club.
The skipper has warned his teammates to give it their all and get their hands on an honour the club has not won before. Chelsea are aiming to win the trophy once again after nearly a decade, with Azpiliceuta aiming for redemption.
“When we are young we think we might have more opportunities. But with time, you realise how difficult it is, just qualifying for this tournament. We have to make the most of it, win a trophy that no one has won at Chelsea.”
Azpilicueta knows just how hard it is to win this competition, needing to become European champions to qualify for the Club World Cup. Winning the Champions League is not that easy a task, so the Spain international is aware that they need to capitalise on this opportunity.
In what could be a swansong campaign for the influential Blues captain, Azpilicueta will be looking to leave on a high by getting his hands on a trophy he has not won before. The defender sees his contract expire at the end of the season, and as things stand, he could leave the club for free in the summer.
The London side will also be without manager Thomas Tuchel, who was ruled out of the semi-final clash against Al Hilal after testing positive for Covid. In the event Chelsea progress to the final, the German could have an outside chance of making it to the summit clash in time.
If it does indeed turn out to be Azpilicueta’s last season at the club, then he will have even more of an impetus to win the Club World Cup and complete his trophy cabinet at club level, with the Club World Cup trophy proving to be the missing piece of the puzzle to complete the entire set.
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