Chelsea Controversy: Why Fluminense Were Denied Penalty for Chalobah Handball

According to NewsVista, Chelsea have booked their place in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final after a 2-0 win over Brazilian side Fluminense at the MetLife Stadium, USA—but not without controversy.

New signing Joao Pedro was the star of the night, scoring both goals for the Blues in what turned out to be a dramatic semi-final clash. However, the biggest talking point came in the 34th minute, when the referee initially awarded a penalty to Fluminense after a potential handball by Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah.

Fluminense players and fans celebrated the decision, hoping for a chance to equalize after going 1-0 down. But moments later, VAR intervened.

Referee Francois Letexier reversed his call after a review, ruling that Chalobah’s hand was in a “natural position.” The explanation sparked fury from the Brazilian side, who felt robbed of a clear opportunity during their best spell of the match. Just before the incident, Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella had made a crucial clearance off the line to deny what would’ve been a goal.

Fluminense coach Renato Gaucho and veteran defender Thiago Silva voiced their frustration after the game. “It could have changed everything,” Silva said. “We fought hard and gave everything. We really value how far we made it.”

Meanwhile, Joao Pedro was all smiles after his dream performance. “I’m happy to score two goals,” he told DAZN. “I just want to keep improving and help the team more.”

This result comes shortly after Chelsea lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League title in May, with a 4-1 comeback win over Real Betis—proving the club’s young squad is building momentum under new leadership.