"Of course we will need to keep an eye on him” - PSG captain Marquinhos warns teammates about Chelsea star

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) captain Marquinhos has warned his teammates about new Chelsea signing Joao Pedro ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup final. The two sides are set to face off at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 13, in a battle to crown the champions of the newly-introduced edition of the tournament.

Pedro, who joined Chelsea from Brighton and Hove Albion last week in a reported deal worth £60 million, has hit the ground running at the west London club. He made his debut as a substitute in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup against Palmeiras. Pedro then went on to produce a man-of-the-match performance against his boyhood club, Fluminense, in the semi-finals, scoring a brace to give Chelsea a 2-0 win.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference about the highly anticipated clash, PSG defender Marquinhos spoke highly of his compatriot Joao Pedro, highlighting his qualities, and urged his teammates to keep a close eye on him. He said (via TheChelseaChronicle):

“I already knew about the qualities of Joao Pedro, and he has had a chance to show that at Chelsea already because of the tournament that he is having. He is showing his qualities even more. There might be some doubts about the team, but I think he will definitely play because he scored two goals in the previous round, and if he is fit, he will play. “We saw those qualities with the national team. He is a big physical player who is also technical and has very good movement. That is what makes a very complete striker. And that is why he has done well and performed well. Of course we will need to keep an eye on him as we do in every game.”

PSG are on the verge of making history in football. They are just three trophies away from becoming the first club to win seven trophies in a single calendar year.

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“We are going to win” – Chelsea captian Reece James makes bold statement ahead of PSG clash

Reece James has expressed confidence ahead of his side’s meeting with PSG tomorrow. The England international acknowledged the strength of the Ligue1 giants but doesn’t ‘really care’ about the Blues' underdog status, insisting that they are prepared for the match and will emerge victorious. He said (via the Daily Star):

"This game is a super high-level game. They are one of the hottest teams in the world at the moment, but this is a final. This is a one-off game. Everyone has them down as strong favourites, but I've been in many finals before where we've been favourites and we [didn't] come out on top. So this doesn't mean too much to me. And I don't really care to be honest. Everyone is [talking about] our opposition, but we'll prepare for them right and we're going to win."

James has played in four of the six matches that the Blues have played in the Club World Cup.

Edited by Nived Zenith