The England playmaker produced two stunning assists in five minutes to turn the Conference League final on its head
Real Betis 1-4 Chelsea (Ezzalzouli 9′ | Fernandez 65′, Jackson 70′, Sancho 83′, Caicedo 90+1′ )
WROCLAW — Cole Palmer has had a tough few months, but when Chelsea needed their talisman most, he delivered to trample over Real Betis’ dreams in the Europa Conference League final.
For 65 minutes, Palmer had been as anonymous as he was during the group stage, when Enzo Maresca omitted him from his continental squad to keep him fresh for domestic weekends. Chelsea trailed to Abdessamad Ezzalzouli’s early opener and looked short of ideas.
Five minutes later, Palmer had set up two goals with two sumptuous crosses – scored by Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson – to swing the momentum in Chelsea’s favour against Betis’ band of veteran ballers and Premier League cast-offs.
Jadon Sancho completed the turnaround with a fine finish seven minutes from time that may yet convince Chelsea to activate their purchase option with Manchester United rather than pay to send him back.
Moises Caicedo made it four in added time with a crisp strike, creating a margin of victory unfair on the Seville side, who had the better of the first 45 minutes. Chelsea’s win ended a run of 27 Spanish winners in European finals dating back to 2001.
It was a triumph for Maresca, a manager who has faced plenty of criticism during his maiden campaign at Stamford Bridge, but who has delivered a fourth-place finish and a trophy. It’s been a bumpy ride but a smooth ending.
The occasion pitted the apprentice vs the master. Manuel Pellegrini coached Enzo Maresca at Malaga and had him on his staff at West Ham.
For a while, it looked like four decades of managerial experience would win out against four years’ worth, but the Chilean had shallower resources than his protege.
BlueCo clearly had grander ambitions than winning Europe’s third-tier trophy when they took over three years ago, but will hope this can be a springboard to bigger prizes. Todd Boehly was in attendance in Wroclaw to soak up the triumph.
With Maresca’s squad securing Champions League football on Sunday, it has been a successful and lucrative end to the campaign for the Blues. And there’s still the Club World Cup to come next month.
Player of the match: Cole Palmer
The difference maker in an evenly poised final with two sublime assists. Back to his very best on a big night.
Chelsea have become the first club to win four different major Uefa competitions, which is handy because they will never want to be in this tournament again.
Financially, winning a trophy created for the little guys is a drop in the ocean for a super-club bankrolled by a US hedge fund. Real Betis’ entire starting line-up was assembled for a little over £30m, enough to buy Caicedo’s right leg.
But if the key to developing a winning mentality is winning stuff, it may prove in time to have been very significant indeed. Only five of Maresca’s starting line-up had won a trophy at club level, with Trevoh Chalobah the only to do so in Chelsea colours. That has now changed.
Of course, Chelsea should have won it given the financial chasm between themselves and everyone else in the competition, but try telling the tens of thousands of fans who travelled to Wroclaw that this was no real achievement.
Or the players who sprinted on the pitch to celebrate when Sancho made it three and Caicedo four. These are the moments that make a squad stronger, more connected.
It didn’t start well, though. If Maresca could have his time again, he’d probably leave Malo Gusto on the bench. The Frenchman hasn’t adapted to an inverted full-back role and made a costly error at the start.
Isco was the one Betis player Chelsea wouldn’t have wanted to roam unchecked on the edge of their box, but Gusto’s sloppy pass fell to his feet and the veteran playmaker’s clever reverse ball found Abdessamad Ezzalzouli who lashed a finish into the bottom corner.
The goal roused Betis and rattled Chelsea. The favourites were lucky to go in one behind at the break, with Filip Jorgensen keeping out Marc Bartra and Johnny Cardoso denied by a last-ditch block.
Reece James came on at half-time for the struggling Gusto and immediately the level was raised. After wrestling back control, Chelsea made their superior quality count to cap a testing season in golden ticker tape glory.