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Joao Pedro: 'Dream' full debut could not have been better

Joao Pedro: 'Dream' full debut could not have been better

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Joao Pedro marked his first start in a Chelsea shirt with a double against Fluminense to send his new team into the Club World Cup final.

Joao Pedro revelled in a "dream" full debut after his double propelled Chelsea into the Club World Cup final.

Chelsea beat Fluminense, Joao Pedro's boyhood club, 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium to set up a showdown against either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.

Joao Pedro, signed from Brighton last week, made his first appearance for Chelsea as a substitute against Palmeiras in the previous round, but was handed his first start following Liam Delap's suspension.

He became the first Brazilian to score for Chelsea in an official match since Thiago Silva, who captained Fluminense on Tuesday, did so against Sheffield United in the 2023-24 season.

The forward was delighted with his performance and is now focused on improving his fitness for the final.

"I think it was a dream," Joao Pedro told DAZN. 

"I don't think it could have been better. Two goals. Now we need to think about the final. I am very happy to score two goals today.

"[Enzo Maresca] just said to me to play the same as I did in the last game. Because I had more time to do my stuff, I was happy to score, the team won, the team played well and that is important.

"I try to improve every session but I know it is hard. They helped me as well. Now I need to rest, focus on the final because I think it will be a very important game.

"It would be my first title as well. I think it will be a very important game, a very special game. I came one week ago and now I am going to play a final. I am very happy. The team have been very welcoming me and now we need to move forward.

Joao Pedro started his career with Fluminense before joining Watford in 2020, and he refused to celebrate after his goals.

Speaking to reporters, he said: "When I was young I didn't have anything and they gave me everything. They showed me to the world. I'm here because they believe in me. I am very grateful. [But] this is football. I have to do my job."

In his interview with DAZN, Joao Pedro added: "I am happy to score my first goal for Chelsea but also I know this tournament is very important for Fluminense.

"I can just say sorry but I have to be professional. I play for Chelsea. They pay me to score goals."

After knocking out Inter and Al-Hilal, Fluminense could not recapture the same magic against the Blues, accumulating only 0.92 expected goals.

Veteran defender Silva was proud of his side's campaign, though.

"It was a very difficult game, but you can’t say we didn’t try," Thiago Silva told DAZN. "We put our all into it and we really value how far we made it at this tournament."

Matters might have been different, too, had referee Francois Letexier stuck with his initial call to award Fluminense a penalty for a Trevoh Chalobah handball, when Chelsea were leading 1-0.

However, after a VAR check, the official changed his mind. 

"I thought it was a penalty," Silva said. "I don’t think it’s the reason we lost, but it could have changed the game. At the end of the day, that’s football."

Joao Pedro: 'Dream' full debut could not have been better

Joao Pedro marked his first start in a Chelsea shirt with a double against Fluminense to send his new team into the Club World Cup final.

Joao Pedro revelled in a "dream" full debut after his double propelled Chelsea into the Club World Cup final.

Chelsea beat Fluminense, Joao Pedro's boyhood club, 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium to set up a showdown against either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.

Joao Pedro, signed from Brighton last week, made his first appearance for Chelsea as a substitute against Palmeiras in the previous round, but was handed his first start following Liam Delap's suspension.

He became the first Brazilian to score for Chelsea in an official match since Thiago Silva, who captained Fluminense on Tuesday, did so against Sheffield United in the 2023-24 season.

The forward was delighted with his performance and is now focused on improving his fitness for the final.

"I think it was a dream," Joao Pedro told DAZN. 

"I don't think it could have been better. Two goals. Now we need to think about the final. I am very happy to score two goals today.

"[Enzo Maresca] just said to me to play the same as I did in the last game. Because I had more time to do my stuff, I was happy to score, the team won, the team played well and that is important.

"I try to improve every session but I know it is hard. They helped me as well. Now I need to rest, focus on the final because I think it will be a very important game.

"It would be my first title as well. I think it will be a very important game, a very special game. I came one week ago and now I am going to play a final. I am very happy. The team have been very welcoming me and now we need to move forward.

Joao Pedro started his career with Fluminense before joining Watford in 2020, and he refused to celebrate after his goals.

Speaking to reporters, he said: "When I was young I didn't have anything and they gave me everything. They showed me to the world. I'm here because they believe in me. I am very grateful. [But] this is football. I have to do my job."

In his interview with DAZN, Joao Pedro added: "I am happy to score my first goal for Chelsea but also I know this tournament is very important for Fluminense.

"I can just say sorry but I have to be professional. I play for Chelsea. They pay me to score goals."

After knocking out Inter and Al-Hilal, Fluminense could not recapture the same magic against the Blues, accumulating only 0.92 expected goals.

Veteran defender Silva was proud of his side's campaign, though.

"It was a very difficult game, but you can’t say we didn’t try," Thiago Silva told DAZN. "We put our all into it and we really value how far we made it at this tournament."

Matters might have been different, too, had referee Francois Letexier stuck with his initial call to award Fluminense a penalty for a Trevoh Chalobah handball, when Chelsea were leading 1-0.

However, after a VAR check, the official changed his mind. 

"I thought it was a penalty," Silva said. "I don’t think it’s the reason we lost, but it could have changed the game. At the end of the day, that’s football."

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