Chelsea’s season reached a triumphant climax in Wroclaw as they staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final, securing the first piece of silverware under the Clearlake Capital era.
The turning point for Enzo Maresca’s side came in a decisive five-minute stretch midway through the second half.
Until then, Chelsea had been second-best, trailing to an early strike from Abde Ezzalzouli and struggling under intense pressure from a dominant Betis side and their raucous supporters.
But everything changed when Cole Palmer took charge.
The young forward transformed the game, first delivering a pinpoint cross for Enzo Fernández to head in the equaliser, then repeating the trick minutes later to set up Nicolas Jackson, whose clever finish turned the match on its head.
Betis had deservedly led early on after Malo Gusto’s loose pass in midfield gifted them possession.
Captain Isco seized the opportunity with a sublime reverse ball to Ezzalzouli, who controlled expertly and finished clinically into Filip Jorgensen’s bottom corner.
The Spanish side nearly doubled their lead shortly after, but Jorgensen did well to tip away a long-range effort from Marc Bartra.
Betis, backed by a noisy majority in the stadium, played the opening 45 minutes with greater energy and purpose.
Isco, chasing his first European title as captain despite five previous Champions League triumphs, had predicted the final might mean more to Betis—and early on, that belief showed.
Gusto endured a torrid half and was again culpable as Ezzalzouli skipped past him and danced through Moisés Caicedo before setting up Johnny Cardoso, who wastefully fired over.
Chelsea’s attack, meanwhile, lacked urgency and cohesion, with Pedro Neto’s wild shot summing up a lacklustre first period.
At the break, Reece James replaced Gusto, and slowly Chelsea began to gain control.
Their breakthrough came on 65 minutes when Palmer’s brilliant vision and delivery picked out Fernández’s run, and the Argentine powered a header past Adrián.
That goal sparked Chelsea into life. Minutes later, Palmer struck again, floating in a delicate cross to the near post where Jackson found just enough contact with his shoulder to divert it in.
The tide had turned. Betis, visibly drained after their earlier intensity, began to unravel.
Jadon Sancho added a sublime third with a curling effort into the top corner in the 83rd minute, and Caicedo capped the win with a driven fourth in stoppage time.
It was a night to remember for Chelsea—not just for the scoreline, but for the resilience and flair shown in adversity. A European trophy, and perhaps the first of many under the new ownership.
