The latest batch of FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) clashes brought Cole Palmer ($9.6m) disappointment, a promising Liam Delap ($6.0m) cameo and some attacking returns from a couple of pre-tournament Scout favourites – including a former Premier League veteran.
Here’s a mini-Scout Notes article, looking back at these three Matchday 1 encounters:
Club World Cup Fantasy:
CHELSEA 2-0 LOS ANGELES FC
GOALS – Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez
ASSISTS – Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap
MOST POINTS – Pedro Neto (9), Levi Colwill (9), Robert Sanchez (8), Tosin Adarabioyo (8), Enzo Fernandez (7), Nicolas Jackson (7), Marc Cucurella (6)
Less shocking than Harry Kane‘s ($11.0m) blank during a 10-0 win is the latest one from Palmer. It’s something we got used to throughout the latter months of 2024/25, avoiding Fantasy Premier League (FPL) attacking returns in 12 of his final 16 appearances. Not even wearing Chelsea’s number 10 shirt for the first time changed things.
Still, there were glimpses of the player who created the second-most domestic chances (89) and big chances (24). He also came second for goal attempts (126) and fired out another six in Atlanta, where almost 50,000 seats remained empty. No shots tested former Tottenham Hotspur stopper Hugo Lloris ($5.2m).
Club World Cup Fantasy: 1
Above: None of Cole Palmer’s six attempts were on target, according to WhoScored
“I said to him that I really liked the way he was today. He took responsibility, showed initiative on the ball. He was trying to receive the ball, go one-versus-one against players, and this is the Cole we expect.
“After the Conference League final, he said he was bored when receiving the ball, so he decided to do something different. The day after that interview, I said to him that he could do it from the first minute – and why did he wait so long? Why not do the same after one minute? Today, he was exactly doing that, and we are happy when he does that.” – Enzo Maresca on Cole Palmer
Instead, it was Nicolas Jackson ($7.4m) who shone in this Group D clash. We’ve spoken previously about how Chelsea tend to be a better team with him around, but having Delap as competition might motivate him to reach another level.
A few of his through balls brought danger and one was weighted perfectly enough to set Pedro Neto ($6.5m) free. The Portuguese attacker’s second touch sent his opponent flying, before scoring at the near post.
Enzo Fernandez ($6.2m) came on at half-time and soon proved that his 14 FPL attacking returns weren’t a fluke. Sent down the right by Palmer, debutant Delap matched Jackson’s assist by crossing for Enzo’s close-range finish.
Meanwhile, numerous Fantasy managers will have enjoyed Denis Bouanga ($7.0m) being denied by Robert Sanchez ($5.3m) on several occasions. It locked in clean sheets for the Spanish goalkeeper and highly-owned Marc Cucurella ($5.8m), following three in the Blues’ closing five league matches.
Not only that, Levi Colwill‘s ($5.3m) tally was bumped up to nine due to two Scouting Bonus points. This rewards differential picks, as he delivered to under 5% of CWC Fantasy squads.
BOCA JUNIORS 2-2 BENFICA
GOALS – Miguel Merentiel, Rodrigo Battaglia; Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Otamendi
ASSISTS – Lautaro Blanco, Ayrton Costa; Nicolas Otamendi, Orkun Kokcu
PENALTY WON – Nicolas Otamendi
MOST POINTS – Nicolas Otamendi (15), Angel Di Maria (10), Rodrigo Battaglia (10), Miguel Merentiel (9)
Elsewhere, neutrals were shocked to witness an actual entertaining contest, played in front of some loud Boca fans at the Hard Rock Stadium. They quickly found themselves 2-0 up versus Group C rivals Benfica, thanks to a flick from captain Miguel Merentiel ($6.2m) and Rodrigo Battaglia‘s ($6.3m) header.
But VAR gave the Lisbon giants a route back into the game when Nicolas Otamendi ($5.2m) was fouled in the box. What’s interesting is that, once Angel Di Maria ($7.3m) slotted home the penalty, the former Manchester City defender was double rewarded – three points for an assist and two for winning the penalty.
Ex-Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera ($5.6m) – already taken off injured – received a red card on the bench for protesting. Later on, more sendings off came after wild challenges from Nicolas Figal ($5.1m) and substitute Andrea Belotti ($7.0m).
Our previews mentioned that 37-year-old Otamendi is an attacking threat in the air. So, naturally, he equalised here by heading home a corner, ending on a score of 15.
Also of note is that 6.3%-owned Alvaro Carreras ($4.8m) failed to bag any points and Kerem Aktürkoglu ($7.2m) was restricted to a 29-minute cameo. The Turkish midfielder still found time to put a shot wide in stoppage time.
It’s part-timers Auckland City up next, so don’t give up on either him or Vangelis Pavlidis ($7.8m).
FLAMENGO 2-0 ES TUNIS
GOALS – Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Luiz Araujo
ASSISTS – Luiz Araujo, Jorginho
MOST POINTS – Luiz Araujo (12), Agustin Rossi (9), Guillermo Varela (9), Leo Ortiz (9), Leo Pereira (9), Ayrton Lucas (9), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (9), Jorginho (8)
Then, in the early UK hours of Tuesday morning, Brazilian heavyweights Flamengo eased past ES Tunis.
Attacking midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta ($6.2m) was recommended in our Matchday 1 Scout Picks, based on nine goals and four assists in just nine league appearances during the early parts of his 2025 season. Subsequently, 12.8% of CWC Fantasy managers own the Uruguayan.
Yet the highest-scoring Flamengo player with 12 points was Luiz Araujo ($6.0m). He played a part in both goals, cushioning a cross back towards de Arrascaeta’s side-footed strike, before receiving a second-half pass from Jorginho ($5.5m) that took several opponents out of the game.
Thanks to the recently departed Arsenal midfielder’s debut assist, Araujo had space to carve out a curler into the corner. Like Colwill, the 29-year-old received a Scouting Bonus.
Of the rest, no individual took more shots (four) than Youcef Belaïli ($5.6m), the match’s second-most selected asset. They all missed, securing a clean sheet for Leo Ortiz ($4.9m), Ayrton Lucas ($5.1m) and more.
Currently top of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Mengão will provide a tough challenge for Chelsea on Friday night.
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