Chelsea forward Joao Pedro apologises to his former club Fluminense after his two goals sent them packing in the Club World Cup.
The 23-year-old netted two goals to help Chelsea secure a 2-0 win over Fluminense in the semi-final of the competition as the Blues secured their spot in the final.
The Brazilian was at Fluminense from the age of 10 until he left for Watford in 2020, netting 10 goals and grabbing two assists in 36 appearances for the senior team.
Pedro was full of emotions after scoring two goals and walking away with the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match award.
“I’ve got mixed feelings,” Pedro told FIFA. “I apologise for the two goals. This is my job. I’m sad to see some of the players I played alongside, some of the staff I know upset. Seeing their sadness is difficult, because I know this was their dream.
“I’m sorry but the Fluminense fans know how much I love the club. I hope to return to Fluminense one day. I can’t predict the future, but I hope we see each other again.”
“I’m very happy to score two goals and I think it’s very important for me to win this trophy,” he said. “If it wasn’t me, I think it should have been Enzo [Fernandez]. But today it’s mine!
“I’ve been preparing myself for years and years for this moment. To score two goals in the semi-final of the Club World Cup, to win the Player of the Match, it couldn’t have been any better. I’m really happy.
“Now we’ve got a big final. We don’t know who we’ll play, but it’s guaranteed to be a great team. It will be a difficult game for us, but it will also be a difficult game for our opponents. We have a lot of weapons. I think it will be a great game. It will be a worthy final.”