With all of the caveats about opposition strength that Chelsea's Conference League campaign continues to demand, the first 45 minutes in Sweden were good for Enzo Maresca. He made eight changes to the side that beat Everton in a more important Premier League match at the weekend, and managed to keep some key players fit with Liverpool to come next.
Whilst progressing to a European final is never to be sniffed at - especially when it would come with totally deserved derision across the board if Chelsea were to fail to achieve this feat given the circumstances - Thursday night's win over Djurgarden was the least meaningful of three matches this week. If Champions League qualification is the goal - and it really should be - then this has to be the case.
And to Maresca's credit, his team played like they wanted this tie to be wrapped up sooner rather than later. That hasn't always been the case. It took 45 minutes of mind-numbingly boring football away at FC Copenhagen and Legia Warsaw before Chelsea started to play in the previous two first-leg matches for the knockout rounds.
They were followed by a swift uptick in tempo and performance levels in the second half before trailing off. The second legs then raised yet more questions than answers.
Since Chelsea's last Conference League match they have added life to their top five hopes with wins over Fulham and Everton. Their season could really have been reduced to having nothing of serious importance left had Tyrique George and Pedro Neto not scored twice in 10 minutes at Craven Cottage 10 days ago, and now things have turned a corner.
Chelsea were on the brink of mutiny after losing to Legia. Even though Maresca got his side through the semi-finals, it was the manner of team and their display which sapped all confidence out of Stamford Bridge. They played in Stockholm like there was a point to prove, at least for most of it.
Jadon Sancho's early goal was reward for much sharper and more intentful passing from the off. When Noni Madueke made it two before half-time, Chelsea deserved their lead and could have been further ahead. After a strong opening 45 at Stamford Bridge against Everton on Saturday it was a good sign to see Chelsea opting for speed and directness from back-to-front here as well.
Tosin Adarabioyo punched passes through the lines, often into Enzo Fernandez's willing feet. When Chelsea's No.8 got the ball he constantly looked forward from dangerous areas and combined will with Madueke - back to his dynamic best on the right - as well as providing the electric Sancho with plenty of cross-field service as well.
George alternated his runs to confuse Djurgarden's defence and even Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall started to turn his threatening positioning into something when fooling a set of blue shirts in the build-up for Chelsea's second. After four substitutes that were wholly unnecessary at half-time, Chelsea lost their way.
Whether it was players relaxing, the relationships on the pitch changing, or Djurgarden giving it one final go, Chelsea were certainly worse off despite bringing on four starters who will all be in the XI to face Liverpool. They still went 4-0 up before long, evidence of just how big the margin for error is in this competition.
Cole Palmer is out of form and confidence. He slightly overcooked a through ball to Nicolas Jackson but could just about claim an assist when Chelsea scored a few seconds later thanks to an almighty mess up in the DIF defence. Jackson's second was more of the Premier League quality that Chelsea have shown in flashes in Europe even when it isn't really required.
Maresca's attempts to play Palmer into the goals isn't working, though, and with every passing display he appears to lose even more of the spark which separated him from mortals over the first 16 months of his fully fledged senior career. When he went through on goal there was such indecisiveness that he turned down a clear shooting chance and ended up losing possession instead. It left the Chelsea boss visibly confused and he must have been wondering how things are going to around for his star man.
If that was the low point then the switch off for the final 20 minutes was just disappointing for Chelsea. They conceded a poor goal and could have let in another. It is highly unlikely to make even the smallest shred of difference to the tie overall but did expose some more complacency which they will not be afforded in the potential final later this month.
Both Fiorentina and Real Betis are better than anything Chelsea have come up against throughout the Conference League to date, and they have more individual power to harm them too. That is for another time, though, with a second leg to get through and Premier League fixtures on the horizon which hold genuine weight.
In a first half of happiness and fluidity and a second half of more laboured efforts, the best moment was maybe still 16-year-old Reggie Walsh coming on to make his debut. Born after John Terry's slip and penalty miss in the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United in Moscow, Walsh could not contain his smile when coming on for the last five minutes.
Maresca also beamed as Walsh ran on, giving him a hug and a pat on his way onto the artificially grassed pitch. Walsh had a memorable first touch, belting a shot from the edge of the box only to be denied by a reaction save.
That was another Conference League distraction for Chelsea who know, again, that they will have to raise things for Liverpool on Sunday. Arne Slot's side may well be celebrating their victorious season as crowned champions but Liverpool are still an elite side who won't want to be giving away points.
Even with all of this in mind for Maresca, it wasn't actually Betis, Djurgarden, Liverpool, or Everton which would have been the most pressing match of the night. Maybe not for him directly in the moment, but for Chelsea supporters, Nottingham Forest's defeat against Brentford is enormous.
Forest have now lost three of their last four in the league and have slipped from third to sixth. They have surrendered their game in hand and are now level with Chelsea on 60 points from 34 games. Aston Villa are one place back with 57. Manchester City are in fourth on 61 and Newcastle United are above them by a point.
Forest and Villa's worse goal difference means Chelsea have an advantage here. With games to come at the City Ground and St. James' Park, Chelsea's destiny is in their own hands.
They are back to getting the midweek boosts that helped maintain positivity in the first half of the season and will hope to use that to spur them on to a strong finish. Winning in Europe has more of an impact than just momentum.
Chelsea will win around £13million for going all the way as they are widely expected to in the Conference League. That would secure a spot in the Europa League which has a potential prize of around £25million with £3million just for getting there.
Their eyes are on the Champions League, though. If Chelsea can go straight to the elite level then they will be granted a much bigger £16million upon entry.
In a world of increasing financial regulation, Chelsea's low-key but successful trip to Djurgarden has understandably been overshadowed by United in Bilbao, Arsenal against Paris Saint-Germain, and even Tottenham playing Bodo/Glimt. To ensure that this doesn't last any longer than this season then Maresca and Chelsea will have to keep improving to give themselves a chance.
Thursday was further proof that they are too good for the current level but more needs to be seen to rise through the ranks of Europe again.
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Chelsea ended the 2023/24 Premier League season on a high, but it is never quiet at Stamford Bridge and the summer looks set to be one full of news, with question marks over Mauricio Pochettino's future at the club and plenty of talk around transfers.
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