Chelsea might have comfortably booked their place in the Club World Cup final, but not everything went smoothly on the pitch—especially between Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson.
What should’ve been a night of celebration ended with a fiery moment of frustration between teammates.
Palmer Explodes After Missed Tap-In
Late in Chelsea’s 2–0 win over Brazilian side Fluminense on Tuesday, things took a tense turn.
With Chelsea already in control of the game, a golden opportunity to seal it came in the 80th minute.
Substitute Nicolas Jackson broke into the box and had the perfect chance to square the ball to Cole Palmer, who was completely unmarked near the penalty spot.
But instead of laying it off for what would’ve been a guaranteed goal, Jackson chose to go for glory—and missed.
His shot flew wide into the side netting, leaving Palmer absolutely furious.
The No. 10 threw his hands in the air, kicked the goalpost in anger, and looked visibly upset with his teammate.
Jackson, meanwhile, offered a sheepish hand in apology, clearly aware of his mistake.
Joao Pedro Shines Against Former Club
While Palmer and Jackson’s clash caught attention, the night truly belonged to Joao Pedro.
Making his mark in blue after a £60 million move from Brighton, the Brazilian forward wasted no time impressing in his Chelsea debut.
Pedro opened the scoring with a stunning curling shot in the 18th minute, before adding a second early in the second half—a powerful, precise finish that left Fluminense’s keeper helpless.
Despite the goals, Pedro showed class by refusing to celebrate against his former team.
Jackson’s Starting Role Now Under Threat
Last season, Jackson was a regular in Enzo Maresca’s squad and delivered a decent return—10 Premier League goals, 13 across all competitions.
But even then, fans and pundits voiced concerns over his lack of composure during crucial moments.
This recent decision not to pass to Palmer only adds to the criticism.
Combine that with Jackson’s past disciplinary issues—two red cards, including one in a key game against Newcastle and another earlier in this tournament against Flamengo—and his spot in the starting eleven suddenly looks shaky.
Pedro and Delap Turn Up the Heat in Attack
Chelsea’s forward line is looking more competitive than ever.
Joao Pedro is off to a flying start, and the arrival of 21-year-old Liam Delap from Ipswich for £30 million adds yet another option up front.
With this added firepower, Maresca has real depth in attack—and that puts pressure on Jackson to sharpen up both his decision-making and discipline.
If he doesn’t, there are clearly others ready to step in.
AC Milan Eyeing a Summer Move for Jackson
Now that his place at Chelsea is less secure, reports in Italy suggest AC Milan have taken an interest in Jackson.
His name reportedly came up during talks for Archie Brown, a left-back playing for Gent who also happens to share an agent with Jackson.
There’s no concrete deal on the table yet, but Chelsea are said to be open to selling—if the right offer arrives.
Chelsea Set for a Blockbuster Final
Chelsea’s next test is a big one. After cruising past Fluminense, they’ll now face either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid in Sunday’s Club World Cup final.
With Pedro firing and tensions rising within the squad, all eyes will be on how Maresca manages his team for the biggest game of their summer so far.