Chelsea’s tactical masterclass: How Maresca dismantled PSG in Club World Cup final

Chelsea are the champions of FIFA's revamped Club World Cup. Those expecting Paris Saint-Germain to dominate the final may have been surprised by Enzo Maresca's tactical setup, which effectively nullified Luis Enrique's game plan.

To achieve this, the Blues mirrored PSG’s identity and took control of the match. Sports Mole analyses how the Italian manager outsmarted his Spanish counterpart with a tactical masterclass on Sunday in the United States.

Chelsea make PSG taste their own medicine

Luis Enrique's PSG are built around positional play and the constant movement of players, favouring a structured build-up from the back and fast transitions. However, Maresca ensured Chelsea imposed themselves from the outset.

The Blues implemented an aggressive high press, which caused the Parisians significant difficulties in building from deep and left them with largely passive possession. Chelsea’s pressing was disciplined and intense, with players willing to take risks to recover possession.

For example, on PSG goal kicks, players regularly rotated positions to disrupt Chelsea's pressing triggers – but the Blues maintained their shape and discipline to counteract this.

Pedro Neto frequently dropped deeper on the left to deny Achraf Hakimi space to advance, while Marc Cucurella tracked Desire Doue closely throughout. Even when Ousmane Dembele drifted into central areas, Levi Colwill followed him all the way from the back line. This man-to-man approach was consistent across the pitch, leaving PSG without the space to advance and forcing turnovers.

Long balls make the difference

With PSG unable to build through midfield, Chelsea were able to manage the tempo. When pressed in possession, the Blues looked to play into wide areas quickly, demonstrating that exploiting the flanks was the best way to create danger.

Short passing sequences were rarely effective against the Parisians’ press, but long balls down the channels proved decisive. Chelsea's most threatening attacks came from runs in behind PSG’s wing-backs.

The first two goals of the match came via this route. Nuno Mendes, well below his usual level, lost key duels on the left side, allowing Malo Gusto and Cole Palmer to carry the ball into dangerous areas. Palmer scored twice from those opportunities.

Despite having less possession and completing fewer passes before half time, Chelsea were clinical and highly efficient. Their 3-0 advantage proved too much for PSG to overturn, even with 45 minutes left to play.

Execution and discipline the keys to Maresca’s triumph

Tactical organisation was a key factor, but Chelsea also capitalised on their chances with a level of ruthlessness. At the other end, PSG were denied by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who enjoyed a flawless afternoon between the posts.

All of these elements combined allowed Maresca to outshine Luis Enrique on the biggest stage of the revamped Club World Cup.

This article was originally published on Trivela.