Chelsea staged an impressive comeback to beat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday, becoming the first club in European football history to win all four major UEFA trophies.
Managed by Enzo Maresca, the London team overturned an early setback to secure the prestigious title at Wroclaw Stadium, marking their first major silverware since Todd Boehly’s consortium took over ownership in 2022.
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Real Betis, coached by Manuel Pellegrini, started strongly, taking the lead in the 9th minute through Abde Ezzalzouli, who capitalized on a midfield mistake by Chelsea’s Malo Gusto to score with a precise left-footed strike past goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
Betis maintained pressure with key chances from Marc Bartra and Johnny Cardoso, with Chelsea’s defense and Jorgensen managing to hold firm. Despite dominating possession, Chelsea found it difficult to create clear scoring opportunities in the first half, with Betis captain Isco, a five-time Champions League winner, orchestrating the play from midfield.
The momentum shifted in the second half after tactical substitutions. Chelsea replaced the fatigued Gusto with captain Reece James, while Betis brought on Jesus Rodriguez for the injured Ezzalzouli.
Chelsea’s revival was led by man of the match Cole Palmer, whose creativity dismantled Betis’s defense. In the 65th minute, Palmer delivered a pinpoint cross that allowed Enzo Fernandez to level the score with a precise header. Five minutes later, Palmer assisted Nicolas Jackson, who put Chelsea ahead with a close-range finish.
Jadon Sancho, coming off the bench, secured the win in the 83rd minute with a calm finish from a tight angle, before Moises Caicedo added a late fourth goal, sealing a dominant victory.
Chelsea’s win ended the longstanding streak of Spanish clubs winning European finals involving La Liga teams, a run that had only been broken by matches against other Spanish clubs.
This victory completes a historic milestone for Chelsea, making them the only club to hold the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup titles, a unique achievement in European football.
The atmosphere in Wroclaw was electric, with a large contingent of Betis fans outnumbering Chelsea supporters in the city center. However, clashes erupted between rival fans, resulting in 28 arrests according to police reports.
