Chelsea create European football history with Conference League victory in Wrocław
- By Kaz Mochlinski
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Real Betis (1) 1 v Chelsea (0) 4
Ezzalzouli 9
Fernández 65
Jackson 70
Sancho 83
Caicedo 91
By Kaz Mochlinski at Stadion Wrocław
UEFA Conference League
Final
Chelsea gloriously capped off Enzo Maresca’s first season as the club’s head coach with a trophy, winning the Conference League after a 4-1 success in the final in Wrocław against Real Betis.
In doing so, Chelsea became the first club ever to have won all four major European competitions, with the Champions League, Europa League and European Cup Winners’ Cup, now being added to by the Conference League.
Including their two triumphs in the UEFA Super Cup, this was the ninth time that Chelsea had lifted a European football trophy in the club’s history, but significantly it is the first title secured in the three years under their new American ownership.
Another memorable first is that of two London clubs winning major European competitions in the same season, as Chelsea’s success in the Conference League followed that of Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League seven days earlier.
The Blues had to produce a great second half comeback to achieve it, having deservedly trailed at the end of the opening 45 minutes to Abde Ezzalzouli’s early strike, as the veteran Real Betis captain, Isco, completely controlled the game.
However, Cole Palmer took over after half-time and conjured two breathtaking assists in the space of five minutes midway through the second period to totally turn around the final in favour of the Stamford Bridge side.
Palmer’s unstoppable running with the ball at his feet and two perfect crosses from the right superbly created two Chelsea goals from close-range headers by Enzo Fernández at the far post and then Nicolas Jackson at the near post.
It was an intervention that rightly earned Palmer the Player of the Match award, having effectively decided the outcome of the final, which was sealed with two late additional goals from Jadon Sancho and Moisés Caicedo.
Afterwards, in his natural manner, Palmer explained very simply how he had come alive at the crucial time in the contest: “I was sick of getting the ball and going backwards and sideways, so I thought ‘When I next get the ball, I’m just going to go.’”
Real Betis: (4-4-1-1) Adrián - Sabaly, Bartra, Natan, Ricardo Rodríguez (Perraud 46) - Antony, Fornals (Sergi Altimira 85), Cardoso (Lo Celso 85), Ezzalzouli (Jesus Rodríguez 53) - Isco - Bakambu (Aitor Ruibal 72)
Chelsea: (4-2-3-1) Jørgensen - Gusto (James 46), Chalobah, Badiashile (Colwill 61), Cucurella - Fernández, Caicedo - Neto (Sancho 61), Palmer (Guiu 87), Madueke - Jackson (Dewsbury-Hall 80)
Attendance: 39,754
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