Chelsea take over as new favourites from Paris Saint-Germain for Club World Cup ahead of quarter-finals as Blues prepare to face Palmeiras

However, things are not going to plan, with some of the big European teams suffering upsets as the last-16 stage progresses.

It has been clear throughout this tournament that some of the top teams from South America – and Al-Hilal – are more than a match for the big European giants, particularly in the intense conditions.

With that in mind, our friends at Opta have been looking at the data to see how the tournament could shape up across the rest of the knockout rounds.

• Palm trees 1-0 Botafogo
• Benfica 1-4 Chelsea
• Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Inter Miami
• Flamengo 2-4 Bayern Munich
• Inter Milan 0-2 Fluminense
• Manchester City 3-4 Al Hilal
• Real Madrid in Juventus
• Borussia Dortmund in Monterrey

• Palmeiras V Chelsea
• Fluminense V al Hilal
• PSG V Bayern Munich
• Real Madrid/Juventus in Borussia Dortmund/Monterrey

Unsurprisingly, Paris Saint-Germain have been favourites for the tournament since the very beginning of the event.

The Champions League winners were the best team in Europe this season and have stayed as favourites throughout.

However, everything has now changed as we enter into the quarter-finals.

They have also seen the two big European teams on their side of the draw get knocked out. Will Chelsea suffer the same fate, or will they go on to win?

Let’s take a look at what the Opta supercomputer is predicting.

Pre-knockouts predictions

Pre-tournament predictions

We have a major shift in the percentages not just from the beginning of the tournament, but even from just before the knockouts started.

Chelsea are the big winners. They started with the sixth-best odds but are now all the way up to first, practically just ahead of pre-tournament favourites PSG.

Of course, Man City and Inter have both been knocked out, whilst Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, third and fourth respectively, suffer from being in the same bracket as PSG.

It’s interesting to note that the three other teams on Chelsea’s side of the draw – Al Hilal, Palmeiras and Fluminense – have a combined percentage chance of 8.8%, considerably lower than the Blues. Clearly Opta feel as if Chelsea will not suffer the same fate as Man City or Inter and will go through to the final.

And there they will meet PSG, a team predicted to be in the final since the very beginning.