Chelsea Celebrate Conference League Victory

Many people questioned how much winning the UEFA Conference League would mean to Chelsea , but their reaction at the final whistle left no doubts.

After a season of mostly easy wins in Europe’s third-tier competition, Chelsea were truly tested in the final by Real Betis in Wroclaw, especially during a tough first half. But four second-half goals gave them a 4-1 victory and sparked wild celebrations among players and fans alike.

Man of the match Cole Palmer played a big role, setting up goals for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson. Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo also found the net.

“Winning this trophy is massive,” said former Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on BBC Radio 5 Live. “You can see how much it means to the players. This is what football is about — building team spirit and enjoying success together.”

The win marked Chelsea’s first piece of silverware since the FIFA Club World Cup in February 2022, and their first major European trophy since the 2021 Champions League.

Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole, speaking on TNT Sports, added: “People might not rate this competition, but just look at the smiles on the players’ and fans’ faces. That’s what football is all about.”

Pundit Lucy Ward agreed, saying: “People mock this trophy, but for these Chelsea players, it’s a big deal. It gives them a platform as they return to the Champions League next season.”

Chelsea’s journey nearly ended last August in the qualifying play-off — a stage English clubs must go through in the Conference League.

After a 2-0 first-leg win at home, they scored early in the second leg in Geneva to lead Servette 3-0 on aggregate. But Servette struck back with two goals and almost equalised in added time.

“That kind of game is risky — you have more to lose than gain,” said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who was just four games into his job at the time.

Throughout the competition, Chelsea used a different team for Europe compared to the Premier League. On average, they made 8.5 changes per European match based on their last league line-up.

In fact, star man Cole Palmer wasn’t even registered for the group stage and only joined the European squad for the knockout rounds. As the competition progressed, key players like Palmer, Caicedo, and Marc Cucurella began to feature more.

Still, even in the final, Chelsea made four outfield changes from the side that beat Nottingham Forest in their last league game.

Amazingly, 18 Chelsea players played more in the Conference League than in the Premier League this season — including five who left the club in January.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall appeared in all 15 European matches, while youngster Marc Guiu scored six goals — just two short of the Golden Boot — despite never starting a league match.

“Chelsea have more money than the other clubs in this competition,” said former Blues winger Pat Nevin on BBC Radio 5 Live. “But they still respected it. They didn’t just throw out weak teams — they made sure they did enough to win.

“Looking back, Enzo Maresca has done a brilliant job.”

With the FIFA Club World Cup coming up next month, Chelsea now turn their attention to even bigger challenges — but for now, their Conference League triumph is a reason to celebrate.