Like the Europa Conference League trophy that Chelsea also won, it is likely that the bonus pot will be divvied up on pro rata basis depending on the number of appearances made. I had previously asked Marek if he would be due a share of the millions of pounds that Chelsea are about to awarded and he told me that he would not.

It is worth noting that Marek gave the players a degree of freedom during the World Club Cup period. Not only it important for Sanchez, who has a 18-month-old daughter he is missing very much, but it was so for everyone around them.

Despite the plush, such as the Four Seasons in Philadelphia or the Peninsula in New York, Marek was still concerned about contracting cabin fever.

The Mail on Sunday recalls us along Chestnut Street in Philadelphia when we spotted a scruffy-looking character walking towards us. It was Marco Cucurella and a few other Spanish speakers, such as Neto and Marc Cucurella.

Other pedestrians seemed shocked that afternoon when a girl walking a Rottweiler while wearing a T-shirt with ‘F***’ on it crossed their path, yet the footballers among them went unrecognised. It is a nice option in this respect, as Chelsea’s stars can explore some places could never experience in London.

However, the Chelsea manager tells us that he ‘didn’t see anything’ as he was busy analysing football matches in his hotel, including the finer details of Fluminense manager Gego.

The 45-year-old Italian was not with any of his backroom staff when we saw them the bar, but he has encouraged the players to come to America with their families as an extra… incentive.