Chelsea Advances to Club World Cup Final After VAR Overturns Fluminense Penalty

Chelsea secured a 2-0 victory over Fluminense in the 2025 Club World Cup semi-final, with new signing Joao Pedro scoring both goals on his debut. A major point of controversy arose in the 34th minute when referee Francois Letexier initially awarded a penalty to Fluminense for a handball by Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah but overturned the decision after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, ruling that Chalobah's hand was in a natural position and thus not a punishable offense. This VAR intervention, led by official Nicolás Gallo, sparked significant outrage among Fluminense players, coach Renato Gaucho, and fans, who believed the penalty could have changed the match's outcome. Despite the frustration, Fluminense's campaign was praised for surpassing expectations, reaching the semi-finals against teams with higher investment. The overturned penalty was a pivotal moment that allowed Chelsea to maintain control and ultimately advance to the final, where they will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. The incident highlights ongoing debates about VAR decisions and their impact on critical matches in major tournaments.