Chelsea produced a remarkable second-half turnaround to defeat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final held on Wednesday night at the Stadion Miejski in Wroclaw, Poland.
The game began with a shock as Spanish side Real Betis took an early lead, courtesy of an 8th-minute strike from former Real Madrid midfielder, Isco. The veteran playmaker capitalised on a lapse in Chelsea's defensive organisation to slot home the opener, putting the Premier League side under early pressure.
Chelsea looked unsettled throughout the first half, struggling to find rhythm and managing only one shot on target. Despite dominating possession, their attacking play lacked precision and fluidity, prompting concerns among their supporters and coaching staff as they went into the break trailing 1-0.
In response to the sluggish performance, newly appointed manager Enzo Maresca made bold tactical changes at halftime, bringing off Malo Gusto, Benoît Badiashile, and Pedro Neto. The triple substitution proved to be the turning point, injecting fresh energy and pace into the squad.
The comeback began just after the hour mark. Cole Palmer, one of Chelsea’s standout performers this season, delivered a perfect cross into the box in the 65th minute, which was expertly headed home by Enzo Fernández to level the score.
Palmer continued to orchestrate Chelsea’s attack and, five minutes later, delivered a dangerous low cross that Nicolas Jackson turned into the net to give the Blues a 2-1 lead.
With momentum fully in their favour, Chelsea continued to dominate. Substitute Jadon Sancho extended the advantage in the 83rd minute, finishing neatly with a low drive after a quick one-two on the edge of the box.
To cap off the emphatic performance, Moisés Caicedo added a fourth goal in the final minute of regulation time, striking from distance to put the result beyond any doubt.
The final whistle sparked celebrations as Chelsea lifted the UEFA Conference League trophy — their first European silverware since their Champions League triumph in 2021. With this victory, Chelsea completed their historic sweep of all four major UEFA club competitions.
The triumph also marks a successful end to Enzo Maresca’s debut season at the helm, securing silverware and a return to the Champions League next season, which promises to be a new chapter of ambition for the Blues.
