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This will be the first time an English team has faced an American opponent in the history of the Club World Cup, as the competition's newly expanded format throws up a series of intriguing ties. Both teams will be eager to put an early three points on the board, before fellow Group D participants Flamengo and Espérance de Tunis meet at Philadephia's Lincoln Financial Field on Monday evening.
While Chelsea haven't played a match since comfortably overcoming Real Betis in last month's UEFA Conference League final, Los Angeles FC are approaching the midway stage of their domestic campaign. The Black and Gold Falcons have started the season in rather underwhelming fashion, currently sitting nine points behind runaway Western Conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps. Having also been dumped out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup at the quarter-final stage, the Californian outfit have been forced to do a little soul searching in recent weeks.
Conversely, Chelsea are in buoyant spirits following a stellar end to the 2024/25 campaign. Three days before their triumphant evening in Wrocław, the Enzo Maresca's men secured Champions League qualification thanks to a narrow victory over fellow European-chasers Nottingham Forest.
We crunch the data and scan through bet365’s odds markets to provide you with a selection of compelling tips ahead of Monday's clash in Atlanta.
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Chelsea v LAFC, Monday, 20:00 BST
Chelsea v LAFC - betting tips
Chelsea to win and BTTS: 15/8 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Two-time winners v Late-arriving debutants
Given their recent performances at FIFA’s flagship international tournament, Chelsea are unsurprisingly the heavy favourites heading into Monday’s keenly anticipated contest.
Thanks to a dramatic Champions League final triumph over Bayern Munich at the Bavarians’ Allianz Arena home, Chelsea qualified for the 2012 edition of the Club World Cup in Japan. Despite sweeping aside Mexican outfit Monterrey in the semi-finals, the Blues were unable to prevent Corinthians from claiming their second Club World Cup title.
However, Chelsea would avenge this defeat just over a decade later in the Middle East. The West Londoners navigated beyond Saudi hosts Al Hilal in the last four to set up another showpiece showdown against Brazilian opposition. This time, Kai Havertz’s coolly converted penalty in extra time ensured Chelsea returned to Stamford Bridge with a fresh piece of silverware.
In stark contrast to their English adversaries, LAFC have never previously featured at a Club World Cup. Furthermore, Steve Cherundolo’s men were the last team to qualify for this year’s revamped version of the competition, having overcome Liga MX high-flyers Club América in a playoff contest following Club León’s expulsion.
Nevertheless, Los Angeles FC have delivered several positive displays on the continental stage of late. The Californians were awarded a place in the Club World Cup playoff as a consequence of finishing as runners-up (to Club León) in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, having lost in the final of the same competition to MLS rivals Vancouver Whitecaps three years earlier. Further heartbreak came midway through last season, as Columbus Crew put two injury-time goals past Hugo Lloris to ensure LAFC missed out on a maiden Leagues Cup title.
The current UEFA Europa Conference League holders are odds-on to win comfortably in Atalanta on Monday, but don’t be surprised if late arrivals LAFC put up a decent fight….
Betting tip: Chelsea to win and BTTS: 15/8
Explanation: The bet will win if Chelsea triumph and both teams score.
Promising projects v Veteran stars: Expect youth to trump experience
It’s clear Enzo Maresca has plenty of faith in the junior members of his squad, as the average age of Chelsea’s starting XI throughout the 2024/25 campaign was the youngest in Premier League history.
Having celebrated his 23rd birthday a few weeks before the conclusion of the season, Cole Palmer epitomises the youthful exuberance of Maresca’s rapidly improving team. The English international registered 15 goals and 8 assists in 37 Premier League appearances last season, helping to propel Chelsea towards UEFA Champions League qualification. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and predatory marksman Erling Haaland are the only Premier League representatives to have delivered more direct goal contributions than Chelsea’s number ten over the last eighteen months, while the Egyptian international just edges Palmer in the shooting charts. The talented Englishman rifled a staggering 126 efforts on goal last term, four short of Premier League top scorer Salah.
Despite typically operating in a deep-lying midfield position, Enzo Fernández – now entering his prime at 24 years of age – has been the Blues’ chief creative architect of late. The Argentinian maestro recorded an impressive 14 assists across all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, while Palmer is the only Chelsea player to have created more big chances.
English football fans will be familiar with a couple of the names leading LAFC’s charge, as French compatriots Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris attempt to add another international trophy to their personal trophy cabinets. Gabonese international Denis Bouanga is also a crucial figure in Cherundolo’s squad, while the acquisition of Cengiz Ünder on a short loan deal has already proved to be a masterstroke. However, the Turkish playmaker will miss at least the first two Club World Cup matchdays through injury.
However, the omens aren’t great for Los Angeles FC’s experienced former Premier League duo. In his 23 previous appearances against the Blues, ex-Spurs stopper Lloris has managed to keep just three clean sheets, contributing to being on the losing side on 12 of these occasions. If the 2024 U.S Open Cup winners secure all three points on Monday afternoon, it’ll only be the fifth time the Frenchman has experienced victory when facing Chelsea.
Olivier Giroud enjoyed an immensely successful spell at Stamford Bridge, racking up 39 goals and two major European honours over a glittering three-and-a-half-year period. However, his record against his past employers makes for rather grim reading. The 2017 Puskás Award winner has netted just once in 16 meetings with Monday’s opponents, making Chelsea the only club he’s faced on ten or more occasions without scoring at least twice. Does this mean he’s due a goal?
Although a little younger than 38-year-old pairing Lloris and Giroud, former Saint-Étienne forward Denis Bouanga is fast approaching the twilight stage of his career. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old has been a breath of fresh air since arriving at the BMO Stadium, leading the club’s goalscoring charts in each of the previous two campaigns.
Bouanga has also hit the ground running in 2025, registering eight goals in 15 league appearances while finding the net three times during LAFC’s journey to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final stage. No player has executed more shots at goal in this season’s MLS than Bouanga (Messi has hit ten fewer), while 36 of his 78 attempts have been on target. Could he be the difference-maker for LAFC at this summer’s tournament?
Betting tip: Over 3.5 goals: 5/4
Explanation: The bet will win if there are four or more goals in the match
Cards and fouls markets
While the Black and Gold Falcons boast a relatively good disciplinary record, the same cannot be said of Maresca’s tenacious Chelsea side.
The Blues received more yellow cards than any other Premier League participant last term, picking up one short of a century of cautions throughout the campaign. Over 10% of these bookings were issued to combative midfielder Moisés Caicedo, who committed an eye-watering 70 fouls overall. Two Chelsea players were given their marching orders throughout the 2024/25 campaign, with Marc Cucurella and Nicolas Jackson seeing red against Brentford and Newcastle respectively.
Given Chelsea’s over-zealous approach and the fact that MLS opponents have already inflicted a considerable 206 fouls on LAFC players so far this term, Monday’s officials are set for a busy afternoon at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Although the Americans have only committed 194 fouls themselves, a small handful of players are responsible for the majority of these offences. Spanish full-back Sergi Palencia tops LAFC’s naughty list having upended 30 opponents in MLS action, accruing four yellow cards in the process. David Martínez has also already found his way into the referee’s notebook on four occasions during the 2025 league season, despite only racking up 681 minutes of game time.
Betting tip – Bet builder: Moisés Caicedo to be booked and Sergi Palencia to commit two or more fouls: 6/1
Explanation: This bet will only win if both of the above selections are successful. Therefore, Moisés Caicedo must receive a yellow card and Sergi Palencia must concede at least two free-kicks.
Chelsea v LAFC odds
The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.
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