Chelsea advanced to the FIFA Club World Cup final with a 2-0 win over Fluminense.

Two wonder goals from starting debutant Joao Pedro sent the Blues fans into frenzy, but there was more to the game than goals.

Here’s the inside story on why and how Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea got to the final.

Cucurella turns into prime Maldini to break Brazilian hearts

Chelsea may have won this game with goals, but they protected it with grit. Marc Cucurella’s performance flew under the radar, but it was exactly what was needed to blunt Fluminense’s most dangerous route into the final third.

His most eye-catching moment was the goalline clearance late in the first half that preserved Chelsea’s lead. But his wider contribution was about subtlety.

Positioned perfectly to shadow Jhon Arias, Cucurella repeatedly shut down one of Brazil’s standout performers in this tournament.

Whenever Fluminense looked to overload Chelsea’s right side, he tucked in smartly to cover for Caicedo and Chalobah, showing the tactical awareness that often goes uncelebrated.

Right now, Cucurella is delivering consistency in high-pressure matches. If this is the new normal, the shirt is his to lose. 

Fluminense made him, João Pedro broke them

A goal on your first start is always a good sign. Two goals like this? that is a message, Joao Pedro’s full debut could not have gone any better.

He looked like a player who belonged, and more importantly, a player who believed it. The first goal was all about intelligence and instinct.

The second was pure explosiveness. A sharp run from the left channel, a thunderous strike off the bar, and a celebration muted out of respect but built on dominance.

More than just his goals, Pedro contributed everywhere. He dropped into midfield to link play, pressed with purpose, and even made a crucial defensive header at the back post.

His all-round game will have given Maresca serious food for thought. For a club often accused of signing talent without a plan, Joao Pedro looks like a player with a purpose.

If he shines in the final, Chelsea may have landed a new centrepiece.

Is Jackson finished as Chelsea’s main man?

This was not Nicolas Jackson’s night to start, but it may be the night that reframes his role. Introduced just after Joao Pedro’s second goal, Jackson was asked to keep Fluminense honest in the final third and help manage the game.

He did that job, but without ever really threatening to do more. His usual burst and shoulder runs were on display, and he showed good willingness to track back and protect the lead.

But the contrast with Pedro was telling. Jackson looked like a #9 only playing in moments. Pedro looked like a forward shaping the game.

Jackson still offers a direct outlet and vertical threat that Chelsea will need over a long season, but unless his finishing improves, Jackson may find himself used more as a closer than a starter

That shift already seems to be ruffling feathers, as shown by his clash with Cole Palmer.

Can Chelsea survive the final boss? PSG or Real Madrid await

Chelsea are through to the Club World Cup final, and the route they have taken has allowed their young squad to build rhythm and belief.

But that final, against either Real Madrid or Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, will be an entirely different level of challenge. Madrid bring tournament know-how and composure in big moments, PSG bring explosiveness and the edge of unfinished business.

Both sides would test Chelsea’s defensive shape far more than Fluminense, and both would punish errors far more clinically.

Maresca’s side has grown through this tournament. They have experimented, adapted and improved. Sunday will show whether that evolution is enough to stand tall against Europe’s elite.

If Joao Pedro plays like this again, anything is possible.