Chelsea Chelsea qualified for the tournament as the champions of the
UEFA Champions League, having defeated fellow English club
Manchester City in the
final. Due to their participation in the Club World Cup, two of their
Premier League fixtures were rescheduled. As European champions, Chelsea received a bye to the semi-finals, where they faced
Asian champions
Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia. The Blues won the match 1–0;
Romelu Lukaku scored the only goal of the game in the 32nd minute.
Palmeiras Palmeiras entered the tournament as the winners of the
Copa Libertadores, defeating another Brazilian club
Flamengo after
extra time in the
final, which took place a few days before the draw for the Club World Cup. Palmeiras too entered the Club World Cup in the semi-finals stage, where they played
African champions
Al Ahly of Egypt. Palmeiras won the match 2–0 with goals from
Raphael Veiga and
Dudu, their first goals in the Club World Cup. ==Match==