Pedro Neto sends Malo Gusto message after Chelsea ace sparks ‘law review’ call
Pedro Neto and Malo Gusto shared a moment of light relief as Chelsea prepare for the Club World Cup quarter-finals.
After a controversial victory over Benfica in the round of 16, with the game being suspended for almost two hours, the Blues set up a clash with Estevao’s Palmeiras in the next round on Saturday, 5 July.
Malo Gusto gave away a debatable penalty to send the game to extra time last time out, with Keith Hackett calling for laws surrounding second yellow cards to be reviewed, with VAR not allowed to interfere.
While much of the Club World Cup over in America has been questioned, mainly due to the adverse weather conditions affecting several matches, Enzo Maresca‘s side are staying light-hearted.
In training, Neto found the funny side as the aforementioned duo clashed ahead of their quarter-final game this weekend, though the manager will be in no mood for any injuries.
Pedro Neto finds the funny side after Malo Gusto’s challenge
Taking to Instagram stories (2 July), Neto tagged his defensive teammate, alongside the simple caption: “Eiiiiii,” as the two players clashed in training.
Enzo Maresca to aim for Club World Cup title with Chelsea
Football Insider verdict
Maresca will be keen to take his Chelsea team even further at the Club World Cup after getting out of the group stage and beating Benfica to reach the quarter-finals.
The former Leicester City boss was facing plenty of pressure at Stamford Bridge last season, but with Champions League qualification finally secured and a trophy, supporters are beginning to believe.
At one point in the 2024/25 campaign, there appeared to be no clear direction under Maresca, but after winning the Europa Conference League, Todd Boehly is unlikely to be searching for a new manager.
It has not been a simple time at the Club World Cup, however, with Chelsea being told to send Nicolas Jackson home following his second red card in his last four appearances.
His sending-off came in the shock defeat to Flamengo in the group stage, but with Liam Delap now being joined by Joao Pedro in the final third, Maresca has more than enough firepower.
Supporters will be confident that the current squad has what it takes to bring the trophy home to Stamford Bridge this summer, especially with all the bigger teams on the opposite side of the draw.