Real Betis 1-4 Chelsea: The Blues complete set with Conference League success
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Article summary
Chelsea completed their clean sweep of major UEFA men's trophies with a comeback success in the UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis.
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Chelsea rallied impressively after conceding first against Real Betis in the 2025 UEFA Conference League final, four second-half goals scooping them the title in Wrocław.
Key moments
9' Ezzalzouli fires Betis in front
13' Jørgensen makes a fine diving save to deny Bartra
21' Badiashile blocks goal-bound Cardoso shot
65' Palmer picks out Fernández for a headed equaliser
71' Jackson finishes from another Palmer assist
83' Substitute Sancho pings in Chelsea's third
90+1' Caicedo adds some gloss with Chelsea's fourth
Match in brief: Chelsea the comeback kings
Taking a high-energy approach from the off, Betis strove to break up Chelsea's play high up the field and were rewarded. After nine minutes, Isco pulled the ball across the box for Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, and the Moroccan took a touch before firing a low shot into the bottom corner of Filip Jørgensen's net.
The goalkeeper was at full stretch to deny Marc Bartra as the Betis No5 tried to catch him off balance with a shot from distance a few minutes later, and Benoît Badiashile delivered a crucial diving interception to block a Johnny Cardoso effort after the busy Ezzalzouli had battled his way into the box to set him up.
Possession stats had Chelsea on 65% at the break, but Enzo Maresca's side had created little in terms of tangible chances, outstretched Betis legs repeatedly stifling their approach play. Captain Reece James came on at half-time, a limping Ezzalzouli was taken off after 53 minutes, and all of a sudden it was Betis who were being hustled off the ball, and looking like a side that had not kept a clean sheet in their previous 11 games.
James thumped a shot straight at defender Natan as Betis struggled to clear a corner, and there was no let-up for Manuel Pellegrini's side, Cole Palmer's splendid lofted ball into the box invited Enzo Fernández to nod the equaliser past the exposed Adrián on 65 minutes, and five minutes later Palmer produced another superb assist, turning a defender and lifting a ball across the box for Nicolas Jackson to force in at the near post.
A wall of green noise throughout, Betis' fans did their best to reinflate their side, but there was no way back. First, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall picked out fellow substitute Jadon Sancho, with the Manchester United loanee calmly curling the ball in from an angle, before the masked Moises Caicedo made it 4-1 in added time with a low shot from the edge of the box.
Laufenn Player of the Match: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Reporter verdict: Simon Hart, Real Betis
Betis’ excellent first-half display, led by the terrific Isco, gave way to a highly disappointing second period when they were overpowered by Chelsea. The loss of the left-sided duo of Ricardo Rodríguez and Ezzalzouli hurt them, in stark contrast to the substitutions which bolstered their opponents. It has been a wonderful campaign for Betis but it ends on a tearful note.
Reporter verdict: Joe Terry, Chelsea
The apprentice has overcome the master. Maresca had a tactical problem in the first half and he solved it by bringing on Reece James, who played a brilliant second half on and off the ball. It's a huge moment for Chelsea, both in terms of the history they've made and their development as an exciting crop of young talented players.
Reaction
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea coach: "We adjusted something tactical at half-time and the second half we were much better. We are very happy. [Winning the Conference League] can be a starting point. To build a winning mentality you need to win games, to win competitions. The trophy we have won tonight is going to make us better."
Cole Palmer, Player of the Match: "We just picked up the intensity and put in a good performance [in the second half]. I was sick of getting the ball and just going backwards and sideways. [For] the first [assist] there was a bit of space and I saw Enzo running. Second one, same again. I feel like we showed good character again to make the comeback."
Manuel Pellegrini, Real Betis coach: "How do the players feel? They are devastated. We couldn't maintain what we did in the first half. We were causing them problems through Abde [Ezzalzouli] but he sprained his ankle and we had to replace him. Still, we should be proud of the way we played and the rest is football."
Adrián, Betis goalkeeper, speaking to TNT Sports: "We lost our composure when we conceded the first goal, then the second one after just five minutes. The team was feeling Chelsea's intensity and the mentality changed. We lost a bit of shape. It's a hard night for us."
Key stats
- Chelsea are the first side to win all five of UEFA's men's club competitions, their first Conference League success following two UEFA Champions League triumphs, two in the UEFA Europa League, two in the UEFA Super Cup and two in the now defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
- Chelsea's success ends a run of nine straight victories for Spanish sides in UEFA club competition finals against English opponents. Since the start of the 2001/02 season, Spanish sides had won all 23 of the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League finals they featured in until tonight.
- The Blues' recent final record is impressive: In their previous seven finals in the Champions League, Europa League and Cup Winners' Cup, the only time they were not successful was in the 2007/08 Champions League when they lost on penalties against Manchester United.
- Chelsea are the second English team to win the competition after West Ham in 2022/23. Betis' Pablo Fornals was among the victorious West Ham players in that game in Prague.
- Real Betis were playing in their first major UEFA final.
- Chelsea have won 11 of their 12 matches in the UEFA Conference League competition proper this season (league phase onwards), the exception being their 2-1 home defeat against Legia in the second leg of the quarter-finals.
- Chelsea's total of 42 goals in the UEFA Conference League this season (league phase onwards) is a record for the competition, beating Fiorentina's total of 37 in the 2022/23 season.
Line-ups
Real Betis: Adrián; Sabaly, Bartra, Natan, Ricardo Rodríguez (Perraud 46); Fornals (Altimira 85), Isco, Cardoso (Lo Celso 85); Antony, Bakambu (Aitor Ruibal 72), Ezzalzouli (Jesús Rodríguez 53)
Chelsea: Jørgensen; Gusto (James 46), Chalobah, Badiashile (Colwill 61), Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernández; Madueke, Palmer (Guiu 87), Pedro Neto (Sancho 61); Jackson (Dewsbury-Hall 80)