Chelsea staged a stunning second-half comeback to defeat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final in Wroclaw on Wednesday, becoming the first club to win all four of UEFA’s major European trophies.
The match started poorly for the Premier League side, with Manuel Pellegrini’s vibrant Betis team catching Chelsea off guard. Abde Ezzalzouli opened the scoring in the ninth minute, punishing a lacklustre Chelsea with a sharp left-footed finish after a clever pass from Isco.
Chelsea, who appeared flat and short of ideas early on, were transformed after the interval by Enzo Maresca’s bold substitutions. Captain Reece James was introduced for Malo Gusto at halftime, and Jadon Sancho and Cole Palmer came on soon after, injecting much-needed urgency.
Palmer then produced two moments of brilliance in a five-minute spell that changed the course of the match. First, he delivered a pinpoint cross for Enzo Fernandez to head home in the 65th minute, levelling the score. Moments later, Palmer dazzled the Betis defence with a sharp turn and cross, which Nicolas Jackson bundled in to make it 2-1.
Speaking after the match, Reece James told TNT Sports, “It’s a great feeling. As the game went on, we grew into it, and thankfully we scored four goals in the second half. Coming into this competition was something we had to win. Next season we go again in the Champions League.”
Betis struggled to respond as Chelsea took control. Sancho added a third goal in the 83rd minute after a slick move with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Moises Caicedo put the result beyond doubt with a strike from the edge of the box in the final minutes.
The victory marks Chelsea’s first piece of silverware since the Todd Boehly-led consortium took over from Roman Abramovich in 2022. The win also secures Chelsea’s place in next season’s Champions League, following a fourth-place finish in the Premier League.
Cole Palmer, who assisted the first two goals, reflected on the historic win: “To be the only team in history (to win all four), it is a great feeling.”
Before Wednesday, Chelsea had already won the Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup, and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup. The Conference League title completes the set—making them the first club to win all of UEFA’s major men’s competitions.
Betis, playing in their first European final, had taken the lead early after capitalizing on a mistake from Malo Gusto. Isco found Ezzalzouli on the edge of the box, and the Moroccan forward fired past Filip Jorgensen. The Spanish side, buoyed by their supporters, had further chances through Marc Bartra and Johnny Cardoso but were unable to extend their lead.
The momentum shifted after the break. Maresca’s tactical changes paid dividends, while Betis were disrupted when Ezzalzouli was forced off due to injury and replaced by Jesus Rodriguez.
The final also saw a break in Spain’s dominance in continental finals. Prior to Chelsea’s win, Spanish teams had won 27 straight European or global finals involving their clubs or national sides when facing non-Spanish opposition.
The streets of Wroclaw were filled with fans from both clubs ahead of the game, with Betis supporters in larger numbers. However, clashes in the market square led to 28 arrests, according to Poland’s Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak.
Despite the off-field incidents and an early setback, Chelsea’s financial power and squad depth eventually told, as Maresca’s side stormed to victory.
James, now looking ahead to next season, reiterated the team’s focus: “Coming into this competition, it was something we had to win,” he said.
“Next season we go again in the Champions League.”
