The Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain concluded in dramatic fashion, with Chelsea securing a dominant 3-0 victory, but the aftermath was marred by a heated altercation involving PSG coach Luis Enrique and Chelsea forward Joao Pedro. The incident occurred moments after the final whistle, escalating tensions that had been simmering throughout the match.
Chelsea's victory was largely thanks to two goals from Cole Palmer and a skillful finish from Joao Pedro himself, who chipped the ball over PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. However, the Brazilian forward found himself at the center of controversy after the game.
As players from both sides exchanged words, Luis Enrique appeared to make contact with Joao Pedro, with reports suggesting he grabbed the Chelsea player by the throat or shoved him in the neck/face area. This caused Pedro to fall to the ground, triggering a mass brawl between players and staff from both teams. Video footage shows Enrique appearing to reach past Donnarumma and making contact with Pedro.
Enzo Maresca, a member of the Chelsea staff, was seen attempting to mediate and restore order amidst the chaos. Despite the efforts to calm the situation, the altercation continued for several minutes before eventually subsiding.
Tensions were already high during the match, with PSG's Joao Neves receiving a red card for an off-the-ball incident involving Chelsea's Marc Cucurella. Neves was sent off after VAR flagged him for pulling Cucurella's hair. This added to the frustration of the PSG players, who were already struggling against a dominant Chelsea side.
Chelsea's victory was comprehensive, with the team displaying a masterclass performance, particularly in the first half. However, the post-match brawl overshadowed their achievement, raising questions about Luis Enrique's behavior and the disciplinary actions that may follow.