Cole Palmer says he and his Chelsea team-mates are becoming accustomed to the high temperatures and humidity experienced at the FIFA Club World Cup, and it's why the England international believes the Blues have gone from strength to strength during the tournament.
Enzo Maresca's side secured a place in the semi-finals on Friday evening, overcoming Brazilian club Palmeiras 2-1 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Palmer broke the deadlock with his first goal in the tournament. It was in the 16th minute that he received a pass from Trevoh Chalobah, spun away from two defenders, and carefully guided a shot beyond Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton.
‘I saw some space, I turned,’ Palmer said when recounting his goal. ‘Two defenders came, so I took a touch and blasted it in.'
Palmeiras levelled in the second half through the impressive Estevao, who will join the Blues ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but we responded and ensured our progress to the semi-finals when a cross from Malo Gusto was turned into his own net by Agustin Giay.
Fluminense, who count Thiago Silva in their ranks, await Chelsea in the last four. A place in the final is up for grabs and Palmer believes the Blues have adapted and improved as the Club World Cup has progressed.
He said: 'We are getting used to being here, the climate is a big thing, and the pitches. The more the tournament has gone on, the better we have got.
‘We're getting better and better, and hopefully, we can play even better than we did tonight in the semi.’
After our win, Palmer shared a few words with Estevao. ‘I just said we look forward to seeing you, but he didn’t understand a word I said,' the 23-year-old laughed.
However, Palmer says the teenager showcased his quality against the Blues and is looking forward to playing alongside him next season.
He said: ‘Everyone’s saying the big thing is to give him time to adapt to the culture and the language. He's still only 18, but you can see he's got amazing quality. We're looking forward to seeing him.'
There were also words for another of our Brazilians, Joao Pedro. The forward made his Blues debut against Palmeiras just days after joining the Blues, and Palmer praised the impact of the 23-year-old.
‘I think he did very well tonight,’ Palmer said. ‘He changed the game for us.
'He’s been on holiday in Brazil, so we didn't know what to expect from him in terms of match sharpness. But tonight was great for him.'
Tickets are available to see our Club World Cup semi-final against Fluminense in New Jersey and can bepurchased from FIFA here. You can also watch the game live anywhere in world via DAZN bysigning up for free here.