Former Chelsea defender Thiago Silva says he will help current club Fluminense’s coaching staff with some “interesting details” about his old side before their meeting in the Club World Cup semi-final on Tuesday (kick-off 20:00 BST).
Silva spent four years at Stamford Bridge, making 151 appearances and winning the Champions League, before departing in 2024.
“I don’t know Enzo Maresca that well, but I know a lot of the players there. I speak to them practically every week and some of them are very close to me,” the 40-year-old said after joking that he is “not a spy”.
“I’m happy about this match. It’s going to be a special day for me, but it will be even more special if we qualify.
“The expectations are high and the anxiety is high about facing them in a Club World Cup semi-final, so I’m trying to help the coaching staff with some interesting details – but they are things that will stay between us.
“I was in London a little while ago to see my kids, so I went to training. Of course I can’t give too much away, but we’ve prepared for this match. I think that’s the most important thing.
“But whoever is on the other side, I think Fluminense have a special crowd, a special aura. I hope that can work tomorrow too.”
Fluminense manager Renato Gaucho highlighted the gulf in resources between the two clubs in his pre-match news conference, but stated his belief in his team to go on and win the trophy.
“We are an ugly duckling in financial terms,” he said. “Fluminense’s finances are not 10% of these European clubs.
“They have the means to hire the individual players to give themselves higher chances of winning. We are ugly ducklings but that doesn’t mean we can’t win the Club World Cup.”
