Chelsea made an impressive comeback in the second half against Real Betis to win the 2024-25 Conference League final 4-1, hosted at Wrocław Stadium in Poland. It was the first piece of silverware for the English side in four years and the maiden trophy in Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital's ownership. The Blues were heavy favourites to win the trophy, topping the inaugural League Phase and breezing past opposition in the knockouts to reach the summit, while Pellegrini’s men were no pushover either, but they had to come through the playoffs and required a comeback against Fiorentina in the semis. Both teams had already sealed qualification to Europe’s top-tier competitions, Chelsea in the Champions League and Betis in the Europa League, before the Conference League, but that did not stop the desire to end the season with a trophy in hand.
The La Liga outfit hit the front inside just eight minutes following a break, with star winger Abde Ezzalzouli receiving a pass from Isco to fire past Filip Jörgensen. Chelsea was taken aback by the early strike from Betis and also by their defensive astuteness in the first period, but they regathered themselves after the break. Keeping 64% possession of the ball with changes to their approach, the Blues began their comeback inspired by their architect, Cole Palmer. The Manchester City academy graduate first picked out captain Enzo Fernández to head in the equaliser in the 65th minute and then let Nicolas Jackson put them ahead five minutes later. Substitute Jadon Sancho also got into the act before Moisés Caicedo sealed the glory in stoppage time from Fernández’s cut-back.
Here is all the record set in the Conference League 2024-25 Final between Real Betis and Chelsea:
Unprecedented
Chelsea achieved an unprecedented feat by winning the silverware, becoming the first side to triumph in four major UEFA competitions. The Blues won the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup, the Europa League and the Champions League before claiming the Conference League title. Additionally, the team won the UEFA Super Cup.
English dominance
Chelsea are the second English team, after West Ham, to win the Conference League. No other country has produced more than two winners in four editions of the competition. Like the Hammers, they went unbeaten throughout the tournament.
Triumphant at last
The Blues are the first English side to beat a Spanish opposition in a major European final in 24 years. The last such win was of Liverpool, who beat Deportivo Alaves 5-4 in the 2001 UEFA Cup. It ends a run of nine straight defeats for Premier League teams against sides from LaLiga
Nexus
Chelsea became the fifth different team to win a major trophy after Liverpool’s Premier League triumph, Crystal Palace’s FA Cup success, Newcastle’s League Cup victory and Tottenham’s Europa League triumph, the first time that has happened in a single season.
Leader
Aged 24 years and 131 days, Enzo Fernández is the second-youngest starting captain ever to lead an English club to win a major European final, only older than Bobby Moore in the 1964-65 Cup Winners' Cup for West Ham, who was 24 years and 37 days.
Blue magic
Impressively, the last three players to score and assist in a major European final have been for Chelsea. Eden Hazard and Olivier Giroud did it in the 4-1 win against Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League final, with Enzo Fernández matching the feat in the Conference League final win against Betis with the same 4-1 scoreline.
Palmer show
Cole Palmer is the first player to assist twice in the final of a major European competition since Marcelo for Real Madrid against Liverpool in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League. He ended the season as the top goal contributor for his side in all competitions with 29 (15 goals and 11 assists in 46 matches)
