Palmeiras fans have been out in force in Abu Dhabi this week. They have travelled thousands of miles to watch the Club World Cup and have been showing their colours with pride before Abel Ferreira’s side take on Chelsea, who will be making a big mistake if they show any complacency during Saturday night’s final at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
This is a huge moment for Palmeiras; a chance, at long last, to silence taunts from rival Brazilian clubs about their barren record in this tournament. The Copa Libertadores champions understand what is at stake. They have long since had to accept that their triumph in the Copa Rio in 1951, the original intercontinental club tournament, is not enough to stop the chants of “Palmeiras não tem Mundial” – Palmeiras don’t have a World Cup – from fans of Corinthians, São Paulo and Santos. There is only one way to scratch the itch: by defying the odds and dashing Chelsea’s hopes of becoming world champions for the first time.
