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Chelsea defender and captain Reece James has said whoever writes the Blues off against PSG in the FIFA Club World Cup final does so at their own peril.
With PSG annihilating Real Madrid 4-0 and Chelsea beating Fluminense 2-0 in the semifinals, the French side quickly became favourites.
PSG were also crowned European champions at the end of May when they demolished Inter Milan 5-0 at the Allianz Arena in Munich – the biggest winning margin in a final since 1956.
James gave them credit, but insisted football is not always as predictable.
"This is going to be a super high-level game. PSG is the hottest team in the world at the moment, but this is a one-off game, and a final, so anything can happen.
"I've been in many finals before in which we have been favourites and we haven't come out on top. It doesn't really mean much to me, and I don't really care about their favourites tag.
"We have been preparing right all competition long, and we are going to win," declared the Chelsea skipper.
Although defeating PSG will be one of Chelsea’s biggest achievements, James was reluctant to agree with the notion that if they were to win, they would then be the best in Europe.
The Chelsea skipper also admitted that the weather, with temperatures expected to reach 32 degrees, has been a huge factor throughout the competition.
"I think the biggest challenge for everyone is the circumstances we've been greeted with. The travelling, the quality of the pitches, and the climate is so hot. No one in Europe is used to this. However, it's the same for both teams, and we have started to get used to it," James explained.
James took the opportunity to clarify reports that he’s been injured during the Club World Cup, hence coming off the bench in some of the matches.
"I'm not injured, so let's put that to bed. Given my injury record, I have come a long way, and sometimes it's best to avoid unnecessary risks."
