Real Betis 1–4 Chelsea: Takeaways As Blues Claim Conference League Glory | OneFootball

Chelsea 'completed the set' in Wrocław as they beat Real Betis 4–1 in the Conference League final on Wednesday night.

The Blues’ victory means they’ve become the first team to win all the major UEFA club competitions, but they were made to work hard for their win here. Betis took an early 1–0 lead and were far superior in the opening 45 minutes, but Enzo Maresca’s changes helped Chelsea back into the game after halftime and they were able to take full command of the contest.

Enzo Fernández headed home the equaliser before Nicolas Jackson turned in the go-ahead goal. Their triumph was confirmed by a lovely Jadon Sancho finish, and there was time at the end for Moisés Caicedo to add a fourth.

Betis's Intentions Clear With First Attack

Betis wanted to exploit the space vacated by Malo Gusto. / IMAGO/Newspix

Betis’s point of emphasis in possession was clear with their very first attack, minutes before they broke the deadlock.

The sequence started with Marc Barta dispossessing Fernández, who attempted to receive between the lines, before immediately attempting to make a forward pass into Cedric Bakambu. The pass was overhit, allowing Filip Jörgensen to claim with ease.

After Chelsea’s goalkeeper picked up the ball, captain Isco turned back to Barta and pointed towards Abde, who, immediately after Barta tackled Fernández was on his bike and aiming to exploit the space vacated by the inverting Malo Gusto. It was a warning for Chelsea.

Abde’s opener started with Gusto giving away possession in the build-up, with Isco refusing to make the mistake Barta made of targeting the striker as opposed to Betis’s left winger. The captain’s reverse pass was divine, and Abde, with Gusto refusing to properly recover, opened the scoring with a pinpoint left-footed drive from inside the area.

Antony Fails to Fire

Antony had a night to forget in Wroclaw. / IMAGO/ANP

There would’ve been plenty of Premier League watchers who tuned in on Wednesday night keen to enjoy a resurgent Antony having seen the Brazilian cut a forlorn figure for the bulk of his time at Manchester United.

The Brazilian has been nothing short of a revelation at Betis since joining the club on loan in January, recording seven goal contributions during the knockout stage to help Manuel Pellegrini’s men reach the final.

His liberation promised to culminate in Conference League glory against familiar opposition, but there was no fairytale ending for Antony on Wednesday night. Instead of enjoying the care-free star Betis have unearthed over the past five months, the winger produced a display that the Man Utd fanbase grew tired of.

Matched up against the spritely and aggressive Marc Cucurella, Antony produced a couple of cute moments but nothing more in possession. Isco and Johnny Cardoso starred in midfield, and they wanted to release Abde at the first time of asking, not Antony.

Cucurella can be a tough match-up for any winger, and Antony huffed and puffed without reward up against the Spaniard. After heading over early, the Brazilian produced very little of note in front of goal.

His physical limitations once again came the the fore against stout opposition.

Cole Palmer Swings the Final

Palmer inspired Chelsea’s turnaround. / IMAGO/Newspix

It was a frustrating opening hour for Palmer, who was seemingly limited by the positional restrictions imposed by his manager. Many were keen to comment on Isco’s dazzling first-half display aided by the freedom which he’s afforded, but Chelsea’s star playmaker eventually came to the fore.

Palmer primarily worked from the right half-space in Wednesday’s final, and it was from this zone where he delivered the pinpoint cross which handed the grateful Fernández no choice but to equalise.

Moments later, Palmer was waving his magic wand again. Young substitute Jesús Rodriguez was no match for the Englishman one-on-one, with a simple ball roll flummoxing for the Spanish winger which allowed Palmer to dangerously enter the Betis box. This time, Chelsea’s number 20 picked out Jackson to head home, and he became the first player in a major European final since Marcelo in 2018 to record two assists.

The Blues were lost before their star individual grabbed the final by the scruff of its neck.

Chelsea’s Perfect End to 2024–25

Enzo Maresca has delivered in year one. / IMAGO/Every Second Media

You might not like Maresca’s game model, potentially accusing the Italian of stifling Chelsea’s stars in favour of the 'system', but he’s delivered in year one.

Title talk over the winter was always premature. The Blues’ goal this season was qualifying for the Champions League, and a gritty victory at Nottingham Forest ensured their return to Europe’s premier club competition after a brief absence. By ticking off that goal at the weekend, they eased the pressure on themselves in Wroclaw.

This was a competition Chelsea were destined to win from the outset, making light work of every phase up until the final. Betis were by far their stiffest opponent, and Pellegrini’s side were far superior in the opening 45 minutes. However, the Blues remained in the contest and kept their poise in the second half. In the end, their physicality won out as Betis tired, allowing them to run amok after Fernández’s equaliser.

It’s been the perfect end to year one for Maresca, but the Italian has so far only matched expectations. The Chelsea fanbase, so used to success, will demand more and more as his project continues.

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