Chelsea made football history by becoming the first club to win all five major UEFA trophies with a thrilling 4-1 comeback victory over Real Betis in the Conference League final, sparked by Cole Palmer.
Chelsea Makes History: First Club to Win All Five UEFA Trophies with Conference League Triumph
Palmer Inspires Chelsea to Historic Conference League Title Against Real Betis
From Behind to Historic Win: Chelsea’s 4-1 Conference League Final Victory
The Clean Sweep is Complete: Chelsea Adds Conference League to European Trophy Cabinet
Chelsea Wins Conference League, Secures Historic European Clean Sweep
Chelsea Makes History with UEFA Conference League Triumph, Completing European Clean Sweep
Chelsea has etched its name into football history by defeating Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday at the Wroclaw Stadium. This victory is particularly significant as it makes Chelsea the first club ever to have won all five of UEFA’s major club competitions. Adding the Conference League, a third-tier competition established in 2021, to their collection means Chelsea now possesses the Champions League, Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup, Super Cup, and the Conference League trophies.
The final against Real Betis was a dramatic affair. Despite Real Betis appearing nervous early on, they managed to take the lead in the ninth minute through Abde Ezzalzouli, who converted from just outside the box after receiving a pass from Isco. This saw Betis go into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.
However, the second half saw a transformed Chelsea side. Inspired by the creativity and brilliance of Cole Palmer, the Premier League club sparked into life. Palmer, who was later named Player of the Match, delivered two assists in five minutes that completely turned the game around.
The equalizer came in the 65th minute when Palmer provided a cross that was headed home by Enzo Fernández. Just five minutes later, Palmer again created an opportunity, wriggling past his marker near the byline to deliver another cross, which Nicolas Jackson bundled into the net off his chest, putting Chelsea ahead.
Substitute Jadon Sancho extended Chelsea’s lead to 3-1 in the 83rd minute with a delightful curled shot into the far corner that gave the goalkeeper no chance. Moisés Caicedo then sealed the comprehensive victory with a strike from the edge of the box in the first minute of added time.
This triumph marks Chelsea’s first major trophy since winning the Champions League in 2021 and their first overall since the Fifa Club World Cup in February 2022. It is also the first piece of silverware secured under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who purchased the club in 2022.
For manager Enzo Maresca, in his first year at the club, this win wraps up a successful end to the season. Maresca praised his team’s progress, stating that winning this trophy could be a “starting point” for building something important. Just days before the final, Chelsea had secured a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, qualifying them for the Champions League next season.
The victory also ended an extraordinary streak for Spanish teams in European men’s title matches. Before this game, Spanish clubs had won 23 consecutive continental finals they featured in since the 2001-02 season, a run that extends to 27 consecutive victories across various competitions according to another source. Betis, who were aiming for their first European title, couldn’t maintain this run.
Chelsea’s journey through the Conference League saw them navigate unique challenges, including a qualifying scare against Servette, extensive player rotation throughout the group stage and early knockouts, and trips to unfamiliar opponents like Armenian side FC Noah and Kazakhstan’s Astana. They also gave opportunities to many young players throughout the campaign. The team demonstrated significant attacking prowess, netting 45 goals in 15 games, including an 8-0 rout of FC Noah, the Conference League’s biggest victory to date.
Although some pundits initially questioned the significance of the Conference League compared to other trophies, the celebrations from the players, staff, and fans after the final demonstrated how much the win meant. As former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole put it, “look at all the smiling faces… This is what it is all about”.
The match itself was attended by 39,754 fans in Wroclaw, though the build-up was marred by fan disorder in the city, leading to 28 arrests.
This historic victory, completing the unprecedented clean sweep of UEFA’s club competitions, marks a significant moment for Chelsea and serves as a positive conclusion to Maresca’s first season in charge.
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