The first thing that strikes walking through Abu Dhabi airport as Monday ticks into Tuesday is the number of Palmeiras fans who have made the long trip.
Dark green shirts are everywhere. Passport control, the baggage carousels, the remarkably efficient Covid-19 testing centre is full of excited Brazilians, hopeful of a second world title.
A few hours later it looks like half of Sao Paulo has turned up at the hotel breakfast, one table already working through their songbook more than 10 hours before their semi-final against Al Ahly kicks off.
South American clubs have always treated the Club World Cup more seriously and this is matchday. Yet it does not seem like the restaurant will be decked in blue tomorrow morning.
The windswept corniche is largely deserted save for - you guessed it - a handful of Palmeiras fans taking a little jaunt along the waterfront on rented bicycles and it is hard not to find the whole thing a little unusual.
This is not a Champions League trip, when flights are packed with faces seen before even if the names might not be familiar.
The pandemic will have complicated matters further for those who may have considered travelling – Abu Dhabi boasts of having a 97% vaccination rate but restrictions and regular testing remain in place; do not even think of going anywhere without a mask on or proof of vaccination – but past forays from Premier League sides offer conclusive proof that this is simply a far bigger deal for the other continents.
It was not like the Kop had encamped in Qatar in 2019 as Liverpool became world champions or the Stretford End went to Japan and South America.
Many English fans remain dubious about the prestige of this title, and will remain so regardless of this week.
But Chelsea’s strongest available squad is here, a 22-man group until Edouard Mendy arrives with his latest winning medal from the Africa Cup of Nations, and when assistant coach Zsolt Low and Cesar Azpilicueta speak to the media later this afternoon before a brief training session at the Mohammed Bin Zayed stadium, it would be some shock to hear them play down the importance of becoming conquerors.
Chelsea are overwhelming favourites to defeat Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday evening, though history dictates Palmeiras should be stern probable opponents come Saturday’s showpiece.
And for the class of 2022, it may be worth paying heed to Frank Lampard’s words after losing to Corinthians in Japan a decade ago. "It's a long way to come to lose,” the midfielder and former head coach said.
Irrespective of where it may lie on the list of priorities and the absence of many supporters, there is pressure and expectation.
