Chelsea sparked into life in the second half as they came from behind to win the Conference League with a 4-1 victory over Real Betis at the Wroclaw Stadium on Wednesday, their revival inspired by the creativity of Cole Palmer.
With the win Chelsea become the first team to have all four of UEFA’s club competitions in their trophy collection.
Abde Ezzalzouli gave Betis a deserved early lead as Isco’s brilliant reverse pass played the Moroccan into space on the edge of the box and he drilled his shot low into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Chelsea were second best in all departments in the opening period, but Palmer dragged his side back into the contest and laid on goals for Enzo Fernández and Nicolas Jackson, before Jadon Sancho and Moisés Caicedo added to the scoreline to seal the London club’s seventh major European trophy.
Palmer’s inviting cross was perfect for Fernández to guide his header past Adrián in the Betis goal after 66 minutes and shortly afterwards he twisted past his marker on the right wing and delivered a cross into the six-yard box, allowing Jackson to bundle the ball into the net off his chest.
Chelsea added the Conference League — a third-tier competition only founded in 2021 — to their Champions League titles in 2012 and 2021, their titles in the Europa League — the successor to the UEFA Cup — in 2013 and 2019, and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971 and 1998.
Chelsea captain Reece James, speaking to 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.”
On not starting the game: “Of course it is devastating to know you are not starting in a final.
“I want to play every game but it was the manager’s decision. Once he made the decision, I had to move on and accept it and be ready when I was needed.”
On his half-time words to his team-mates: “I thought in the first half we were flat. The game didn’t go our way early on and it looked like it took a lot out of us. We needed a reaction in the second half and we got it.”
