Chelsea are on the brink of making history. On Wednesday night in Wroclaw, they’ll face Spanish side Real Betis in the UEFA Europa Conference League final , a match that could see them become the first club ever to win all four major UEFA competitions.
Under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea comfortably brushed aside Sweden’s Djurgardens IF in the semi-finals, booking their place in the final without much fuss. Real Betis, meanwhile, ended Fiorentina’s hopes of back-to-back Conference League finals in dramatic fashion.
Chelsea enter the game riding high after securing a top-four Premier League finish on the final day of the season. A 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest sealed by a second-half goal from Levi Colwill guaranteed Champions League football for next season, regardless of the results elsewhere.
That win took some pressure off this final. Normally, the Conference League winner would earn a Europa League spot, but Chelsea’s focus now is less about qualification and more about legacy. With Champions League, Europa League, and Super Cup titles already in the cabinet, the Blues could become the first team to complete the full UEFA set.
They’ve largely met expectations in this year’s competition, apart from slip-ups against Servette and Legia Warsaw, but the final against Betis represents their toughest challenge yet.
For Real Betis, this is uncharted territory. It’s their first ever European final, but they’re led by a man who knows all about winning trophies — former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini. He’s helped spark a resurgence in key players like Isco and Antony, the latter playing a decisive role in the semi-final with a goal and a 97th-minute assist to knock out Fiorentina.
Despite their European run, Betis stumbled to the finish line domestically, going winless in their last four La Liga games. Still, they’ve secured a Europa League place for next season with a sixth-place finish.
It’s been nearly two decades since these two clubs last met — back in the 2005-06 Champions League group stage, where Chelsea won 4-0 at home and lost 1-0 away. Now, Maresca will look to get the better of his former mentor, Pellegrini, in a final that means far more than just another trophy.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
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Chelsea will welcome back striker Nicolas Jackson for the Conference League final after he served a suspension in their final Premier League match at Nottingham Forest. His return is a big boost, especially with Christopher Nkunku still sidelined last weekend due to a knock.
Manager Enzo Maresca had hinted Nkunku was fit before the game, so it’s likely he was just being rested as a precaution. However, several others remain out: Aaron Anselmino, Wesley Fofana, and Omari Kellyman are all nursing hamstring injuries, while Mykhaylo Mudryk is suspended.
Midfielder Romeo Lavia, though back from injury, remains ineligible for European competition, having not been registered in the squad earlier in the season. Expect some rotation for the final, with the likes of Filip Jorgensen, Malo Gusto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Trevoh Chalobah pushing for a place in the starting lineup.
Over on the Real Betis side, they’ve been hit hard by injuries. Hector Bellerin’s season is over after a hamstring injury picked up in the semi-final against Fiorentina. He joins Marc Roca (foot), Diego Llorente (hamstring), and Chimy Avila (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Giovani Lo Celso is also a doubt after missing Saturday’s training with muscle soreness. On the bright side, Youssouf Sabaly and Johnny Cardoso have both recovered from minor knocks and are expected to feature. Sabaly’s return is especially important in Bellerin’s absence.
Up front, veteran striker Cedric Bakambu is set to lead the line once again. The 34-year-old has been in fine form in the Conference League, netting seven goals, just one behind the competition’s top scorer, Afimico Pululu of Jagiellonia Bialystok.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Vieites; Sabaly, Bartra, Natan, R. Rodriguez; Cardoso, Altimira; Antony, Isco, Fornals; Bakambu
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Jorgensen; Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella; Dewsbury-Hall, Fernandez; Sancho, Nkunku, George; Jackson
EXPERT PREDICTION
Real Betis 1-2 Chelsea
