Chelsea star Pedro Neto is determined to lift the Club World Cup in honour of his late Portugal team-mate Diogo Jota.
Tragically, Liverpool forward Jota and his brother Andre Silva passed away last week following a car accident in Spain.
Neto, who shared a close bond with Jota from their time together at Wolves and as part of the victorious Portugal squad in the UEFA Nations League final last month, is now eyeing Club World Cup glory with Chelsea after their 2-0 victory over Fluminense in New York on Tuesday, propelling them into Sunday’s final.
“It’s been really difficult in the last few days and I just want to leave a message that this final is for him and his brother,” Neto told reporters.
“It’s a really tough time for me, it’s difficult to speak about it and let’s hope I can do it for him.
“I want to dedicate this final to him and his family and show my support in these difficult times for them.”
Joao Pedro, making his first start for Chelsea, emerged as the hero of the night, netting both goals at the MetLife Stadium. The Brazilian, who recently completed a £60million switch from Brighton, wasted no time in showcasing his talent, stepping in for the suspended Liam Delap.
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The FIFA Club World Cup will see 32 of the world’s best club teams including Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich play across 63 games from June 14-July 13.
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Pedro opened the scoring with a stunning strike in the 18th minute following a blocked cross from Neto, and then secured the win with a powerful shot before the hour mark, against the club where he began his professional career.
“Joao is such a good player,” Neto said about his new colleague. “He is really good, really dangerous and we are very happy to have him.”
Chelsea’s only moment of concern came when the score was 1-0, as a penalty was given against them for a handball by Trevoh Chalobah. However, following a VAR review, the decision was reversed and the Blues professionally secured their victory.
The only downside was an ankle injury sustained by midfielder Moises Caicedo in the closing stages of the match, but the club remains hopeful that it’s merely bruising and he’ll be fit to play on Sunday.
The match marked Chelsea’s 63rd game of a gruelling season that kicked off last August, played under scorching conditions with temperatures reaching 34C during the game. Neto is now keen to end the season on a high note.
The 25 year old stated: “The weather is the same for all the teams. We are ready to play and we will give everything to win the competition.
“I think the results speak for themselves and show how hard we’ve been working. We’ve improved a lot and we all believe there is more to come from this team.
“We hope to finish in the best way.”
