Moisés Caicedo Injury Mars Chelsea’s Club World Cup Victory Over Fluminense

Chelsea booked their spot in the Club World Cup final with a composed 2-0 win over Fluminense, but the night ended with more anxiety than celebration after Moisés Caicedo limped off in the dying minutes with an ankle injury.

The Ecuadorian midfielder, who has been growing in influence under Enzo Maresca, twisted his left ankle during second-half stoppage time. After a brief spell of treatment on the touchline, Caicedo attempted to continue but quickly signaled he couldn’t carry on. With all substitutions used, Chelsea saw out the final moments with ten men.

Speaking after the match, Maresca explained his decision to avoid risking further damage.
“Moisés, he twisted his ankle,” the Chelsea boss told reporters. “I told him that we could finish the match with 10 players. The important thing was not making it worse, especially with another game on Sunday. He wanted to try, but felt pain again.”

Caicedo’s knock now places him in doubt for Sunday’s final, where Chelsea will meet either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain. The midfielder has become a key part of Chelsea’s evolving structure, offering bite in midfield and an improving sense of control in possession. Losing him, even temporarily, would be a setback heading into such a pivotal match.

The club’s medical staff will assess the severity of the injury over the next 48 hours. Given the tight turnaround, any swelling or discomfort may be enough to keep Caicedo out of the final, even as a precaution.

While the result over Fluminense underlined Chelsea’s growing composure on the big stage, the Caicedo injury adds a layer of uncertainty ahead of the biggest test yet in Maresca’s short tenure. With a trophy on the line, and two of Europe’s elite as potential opponents, Chelsea will be hoping their midfield anchor can recover in time to play a part.