Date: Wednesday 28th May 2025
Venue: Tarczyński Arena
Kick-off: 20:00 BST
Tonight sees us back in a European final, albeit one that’s a first for us, as we face Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final in Wroclaw.
Since their draw against Fiorentina in the semi-final, Real Betis haven’t exactly set La Liga alight to end their season 6th in the table for a Europa spot, with 3 draws and a defeat but maybe they’ve just been saving themselves for the final. Since our 1-0 win against Djurgården meanwhile, we slipped up against Newcastle in the Premier League but managed to dig in to get the points needed against United and Forest, for a top four finish and a place back in the Champions League.
Our last meeting against tonight’s opponents came in the 2005/06 Champions League campaign, where we won the first leg 4-0 and lost the return game 1-0. Different time, different era though, with the goals in that first leg romp under Jose Mourinho’s management coming from Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho, Joe Cole and Hernan Crespo. Right now, under Enzo Maresca, quite frankly, we spend most games wondering where goals are even going to come from.
Our opponents have a manager who is a bit more familiar with winning, with Manuel Pellegrini having enjoyed Premier League success with Manchester City. His spell with West Ham was probably one he’d prefer swept firmly under the nearest carpet but it’s fair to say he’s no amateur, having won titles in four countries.
So, this won’t be the same sort of game we’ve faced in the competition so far, and if there was ever a time to return to the sort of performances we saw before December, this would be it. Sunday’s game showed some much welcome determination to dig in for a result and we might need to see some of that again tonight if we want to be the first side to win all four major UEFA club competitions.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into today’s game, Real Betis manager, Manuel Pellegrini, says “We don’t think that we are David and Goliath. We think that tomorrow we have exactly the same possibility to win the game. We are going to start from the first minute to try to do it. It doesn’t matter how much one team or the other team (spends). In 90 minutes on the pitch we will have exactly the same chance to win the game.”
Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, says “Every day we have something to prove, no doubt. What we have done [qualifying for the Champions League] is done. Now we have to prove ourselves again. We have played many games this season in this competition, now we have just one more. For sure, for me personally [there is something to prove], but the message to the players is exactly same. Every day is a chance to improve, and we want to compete for titles.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Real Betis, Hector Bellerin (hamstring), Marc Roca (foot), Diego Llorente (hamstring) and Chimy Avila (hamstring) are all absent, whilst Giovani Lo Celso is a doubt.
For Chelsea, Omari Kellyman (hamstring) and Wesley Fofana (thigh) are injured. Mykhaylo Mudryk is suspended but Nicolas Jackson is available, along with Christopher Nkunku.
TEAMS
REAL BETIS (Possible line-up): Vieites; Sabaly, Bartra, Natan, R. Rodriguez; Cardoso, Altimira; Antony, Isco, Fornals; Bakambu
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Jorgensen; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto, Jackson
LAST MEETING
Real Betis 1-0 Chelsea (1 November 2005)
CURRENT FORM (Conf. L)
REAL BETIS: DWWDWD
CHELSEA: WWWLWW
OTHER STUFF
Real Betis have drawn 4 and lost 1 of their last five games in all competitions.
Chelsea have won four of their last five games.
This will be the third meeting between the sides.
This is Real Betis’ first European final.
Chelsea have previously won the UEFA Champions League (2), UEFA Europa League (2), UEFA Super Cup (2) and the defunct UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (2).
Since the start of the 2001/02 season, all 23 Champions League, Europa League or Conference League finals that have featured Spanish sides have been won by a Spanish team
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Real Betis 2-3 Chelsea (aet)