Chelsea vs. Corinthians, 2012 Club World Cup: Paolo Guerrero goal sinks Blues

It was perhaps an indication of how determine both clubs were to win the game that Chelsea’s travelling fans were outnumbered some 20-1 by the 20,000 Corinthians fans that had made the trip, although it did not appear that way at first as the Blues started on the front foot and it appeared the match would be a contest of attack vs. defence.

As the first half wore on, however, the Brazilian side began to come into the game more and more, but for all their dominance of possession, they failed to commit enough men forward to make the most of it, and their efforts were mostly restricted to long-range shots by Paulinho and Danilo, both of which failed to find the net.

Since this game isn’t actually about who wins and who loses, it’s mostly about Rafa Benitez’s tinkering and a potential job interview.

Of course, Benitez would like to stop playing a defender in midfield if at all possible, and that’s where the job interview comes in. Corinthians central midfielder Paulinho has been the engine of his side for quite some time, and is heavily linked to a move to Chelsea during the January transfer window. If he performs well against the Blues, it would obviously significantly increase their interest in his services.