It hasn’t been the easiest of seasons for Chelsea, who slumped in the second half of the Premier League season after an early-season title challenge and needed a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season just to qualify for the 2025-26 Champions League. In that light, it’s no surprise that the Blues needed a furious comeback in the last half hour of Wednesday’s UEFA Europa Conference League final just to win the cup.
Chelsea made quick work of most of the tournament, never being seriously challenged on its way to the final. The Blues won all but one of their matches before the final, a second-leg tie against Legia Warsaw in the quarterfinals when the result was already secure. Entering the final against Real Betis, they opened as -245 favorites to ultimately lift the cup at DraftKings Sportsbook, whether in regular time or extra time.
But Los Verdiblancos, who had a solid season in Spain to finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League regardless of the game’s result, didn’t make things easy. Moroccan international Abde Ezzalzouli got Betis on the board first in the ninth minute, poking home a left-footed finish neatly past Filip Jørgensen. It was the only action of the first half, as neither of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson even attempted a shot.
Enzo Maresca put on captain Reece James at halftime, hoping to add some offense from the back. James quickly got himself involved in the attacking play, but it didn’t pay off immediately. With just 25 minutes plus added time to play, the Blues still trailed and looked to be in danger of suffering yet another trophy-less season.
Then, Cole Palmer did what he does best. The 23-year-old Englishmen was one of the most versatile attackers in the Premier League in the early going, scoring and assisting at will. And though he went on a dry spell after the start of 2025, he started to round back into form towards the end of Chelsea’s domestic campaign. He contributed on the Blues’ second and third goals, first finding Enzo Fernández and, four minutes later, Jackson, with crosses.
If Jadon Sancho’s 83rd-minute cutback goal within the box was confirmation, Moisés Caicedo’s 91st-minute goal was the cherry on top, as the result had long since being confirmed. It was a nice way to end Caicedo’s extraordinarily successful second season in a Chelsea uniform, as the Ecuadorian started all 38 of the club’s Premier League matches this season, ranking as one of the best defensive midfielders in the division.
When the final whistle blew, the Blues streamed onto the field in Wrocław, completing a mission that seemed inevitable yet still far away until the trophy was confirmed.
