Brace: Joao Pedro enjoyed a dream full Chelsea debut
Chelsea Football Newsletter
Chelsea's latest shiny new toy glistened on debut in the sweltering Philadelphia air during the Blues' 2-1 win over Palmeiras, and he repeated the trick on Tuesday night against former club Fluminense, sending Enzo Maresca's men on their way to a comfortable win with a sumptuous curling effort after 18 minutes.
It was with such confidence that Pedro, a £60m arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion, batted away questions about handling the step up to play for Chelsea this week.
His self-assurance is unwavering yet humble he remained as he raised his hands not once but twice to apologise to the Fluminense fans.
Pedro was imperious; his understanding with Pedro Neto on the left wing so fluid you hardly knew which Pedro to focus on. This looked to be a relationship built over many years, not mere days.
Fluminense defender Thiago Silva, the bastion of the last truly indomitable Chelsea side, could only watch on like a captain going down solemnly with his ship as Chelsea’s forwards, all pace and punch, zipped past him with gleeful abundance.
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Maresca described Pedro's freedom as a massive part of what makes him such a unique talent. The Brazilian played with a weightlessness that so few Chelsea strikers over the years have been able to embody, and he capped a fine performance with a superb goal off the underside of the crossbar just before the hour mark.
Joao Pedro scored two stunning goals on his full Chelsea debut
If there's one constant at Chelsea, it's that change is always on the horizon, and Pedro is the latest hotshot attacking talent to be tasked with spearheading the Blues' frontline. For now, he is the man in Vogue, to stay that way, he'll have to avoid the pitfalls of those who've gone before him.
Nicolas Jackson, his replacement from the bench after 60 minutes, has dropped out of favour after successive red cards against Newcastle United and Flamengo.
Meanwhile, Liam Delap, who'll know only too well how Pedro feels after he scored on just his second start for Chelsea earlier in the Club World Cup, was suspended against Fluminense for accumulating two yellow cards. He, too, has a hot-headedness to his game that Maresca will want to iron out.
Pedro's combustible nature is well documented. He was involved in a training ground bust-up at Brighton following a dispute with Jan Paul van Hecke and was awarded a red card away to Brentford in April for violent conduct.
Pedro may have put his altercation with van Hecke down to the pair's competitive personalities. But in a Chelsea team trying desperately to mature, such impetuousness will be quickly snuffed out. Just ask Jackson.
All that, for now, though, is immaterial as Pedro has shown himself to be more than capable of leading the line for Maresca's quietly impressive young squad, who find themselves in yet another final.