Betis 1-4 Chelsea: Blues win 24/25 UEFA Conference League with an epic comeback

Chelsea have lived up to their billing as favourites for the UEFA Conference League by beating Real Betis in Wednesday's final 4-1 in Wroclaw to lift their first piece of silverware under manager Enzo Maresca.

Match Report

Chelsea produced a second-half masterclass to rout Real Betis 4-1 and earn a slice of history by winning the Europa Conference League.

Enzo Fernandez, Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo were all on target as the Blues recovered from a lacklustre first half in Wroclaw on Wednesday.

The Blues became the first side to win each of the Champions, Europa, and Conference League, having trailed to Abde Ezzalzouli's well-taken goal at half-time.

However, the brilliant Cole Palmer inspired a second-half fightback, laying on assists for Fernandez and Jackson in a five-minute salvo.

Substitute Sancho and then Caicedo made sure of a win that completed a job well done for Enzo Maresca's side, who qualified for the Champions League on Sunday and finish the season with European silverware.

There was little sign of what was to come as Betis flew out of the traps and were ahead after nine minutes when the influential Isco teed up Ezzalzouli, who took an excellent touch out of his feet and rifled into the bottom-right corner.

Filip Jorgensen had to claw Marc Bartra's top-corner-bound effort from range and Johnny Cardoso saw a great chance deflected over inside the area after more good work from Ezzalzouli.

Chelsea mustered just a solitary shot on target in a first half that yielded an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.1, but they did start to exert more control after the break and there was a brief VAR check when Adrian clattered into Jackson.

The equaliser arrived after 65 minutes when Palmer swung in a delicious right-wing cross that Fernandez glanced into the bottom-left corner.

Palmer then drew a smart from Adrian before he played another brilliant cross into the centre that Jackson guided past the Real Betis keeper to complete the turnaround. 

Jackson should have done more to extend the lead when racing clear on the break, only for a heavy touch to deny him a shot at Adrian's goal.

But Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall teed up fellow substitute Sancho, who turned inside his marker to bend a fine effort into the top-right corner before Caicedo drilled a fine fourth past Adrian to provide the finishing touch on a fine comeback. 

For Real Betis, they had a more strenuous run to the final. They qualified 15th from the league phase and needed wins over Gent, Vitoria Guimaraes, Jagellonia and perennial Conference League finalists Fiorentina to reach the showpiece event in Poland.

But their defeat to Chelsea capped off a season where Europa League football will be back in Seville given their league finish, meaning despite the lack of silverware, it was a campaign of progress for the Andalucian club. 

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

8' GOAL! Isco assists Abde to open the scoring! Betis 1-0 Chelsea

12' Bartra tries to curl one into the net but Jorgensen makes a save

20' CLOSE! Cardoso cannot find the target from a really good position inside the box

30' Another burst of pace by Abde but this time Gusto sticks to his task

31' Highlight from Betis vs Chelsea

35' Neto cuts inside and has a shot so high

41' The free-kick is pumped into the Chelsea box and Filip Jorgensen claws it away

51' Highlight from Betis vs Chelsea

53' Goalscorer Abde Ezzalzouli has limped off and Jesus Rodríguez replaces him

55' Adrian comes out and makes contact with Jackson, but referee says no penalty

57' Jackson makes a shot which is saved by the keeper

65' GOAL! Enzo heads home the equalizer from Palmer's great cross! Betis 1-1 Chelsea

68' Cole Palmer goes for glory from distance but Adrian makes the save

70' GOAL! Palmer once again assists Jackson to turn it around! Betis 1-2 Chelsea

77' Match Event for Betis vs Chelsea

79' Cole Palmer has been booked for kicking the ball out of play

80' Dewsbury-Hall comes on to replace Jackson

83' GOAL! Sancho cuts inside and scores from an angle! Betis 1-3 Chelsea

90' GOAL! Caicedo scores from distance to kill the game! Betis 1-4 Chelsea

Line-ups

Betis XI: Adrian, Rodriguez, Isco, Bartra, Bakambu, Sabaly, Fornals, Antony, Johnny Cardoso, Abde Ezzalzouli, Natan

Subs: Perraud, Lo Celso, Ruibal, Fran Vieites, Sergi Altimira, Ángel Ortiz, Nobel Mendy, Mateo Flores, Manu González, Jesús Rodríguez, Pablo García

Chelsea XI: Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Pedro Neto, Badiashile, Cole Palmer, Madueke, Jørgensen, Enzo, Caicedo, Gusto, Nicolas Jackson

Subs: Adarabioyo, Nkunku, Sancho, Reece James, Robert Sánchez, Dewsbury-Hall, Bergstrom, Colwill, Josh Acheampong, Tyrique George, Mathis Amougou, Guiu