Chelsea bounce back to beat Betis and clinch European trophy
Chelsea wrapped up their season in style by storming back to beat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final held in Wroclaw. It marked the London club’s seventh major European title and a triumphant end to Enzo Maresca’s campaign. The game turned dramatically in Chelsea’s favour during a five-minute burst in the second half. Cole Palmer played the starring role, setting up Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson for back-to-back goals that flipped the game completely, just when it seemed like Betis had the upper hand.
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A Tough Start for Chelsea
Chelsea struggled early on, especially against the intense energy and support of the Betis fans. Betis opened the scoring in just the ninth minute after a careless midfield pass from Malo Gusto was intercepted. Isco, Betis’ captain, threaded a perfect ball to Abde Ezzalzouli, who calmly slotted it past Filip Jorgensen. Betis almost doubled their lead moments later with a long-range strike from Marc Bartra that forced a great save. Throughout the first half, Betis looked more motivated and better organized, clearly feeding off the occasion.
Palmer Turns the Tide
The second half saw a much-needed change for Chelsea as Reece James replaced Gusto. Slowly but surely, they started pushing Betis back. Then came the turning point. At the 65th minute, Palmer sent in a brilliant cross from the right to find Fernandez, whose header squeezed past Betis keeper Adrian. Just five minutes later, Palmer was at it again—this time finding Jackson at the near post, who cleverly used his shoulder to guide the ball home. With Chelsea now in control, Betis began to show signs of fatigue.
Finishing in Style
As Betis faded, Chelsea took full advantage. Jadon Sancho curled in a stunning goal with seven minutes to go, putting the result beyond doubt. Then, Moises Caicedo added a final touch with a strong, low strike to seal the 4-1 win. After a rocky start, Chelsea’s young squad showed their quality, composure, and flair to bring home yet another European trophy.
