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Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer hilariously claimed that his teammate Tosin Adarabioyo wanted the UEFA Conference League player of the tournament award. His comments followed the Blues' comeback victory over Real Betis 4-1 in the tournament's final on Wednesday, May 29.
In the post-match conference after Chelsea were crowned champions of the competition, Palmer asked (via SPORTbible):
"Can I ask a question, who gives Player of the Tournament out for the competition?"
The Englishman was then notified that the UEFA technical observers' panel gives the award. Palmer then went further to request:
"Can someone tell him Tosin wants it."
Palmer's comments left everyone in laughter, including Adarabioyo, who was sitting next to him in the press briefing.
In the just-concluded Conference League, Adarabioyo proved to be a key defender for Chelsea. In 10 outings, he recorded one goal and helped the side keep five clean sheets in the games he featured in. Meanwhile, Palmer mostly featured in a few games only after the competition became increasingly difficult.
In six appearances, Palmer recorded three assists and played a fundamental role in engineering Chelsea's comeback against Betis in the final. Meanwhile, Real Betis attacker Cédric Bakambu, who netted seven goals and two assists, is a strong contender for the player of the tournament award.
"Hopefully it can be a starting point to create a winning mentality" - Chelsea's head coach on their Conference League triumph
Real Betis Balompie v Chelsea FC - UEFA Conference League Final 2025 - Source: Getty" srcset="https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/10a1c-17485123020249-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/10a1c-17485123020249-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/10a1c-17485123020249-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/10a1c-17485123020249-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/10a1c-17485123020249-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/10a1c-17485123020249-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/10a1c-17485123020249-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/10a1c-17485123020249-1920.jpg 1920w">
Real Betis Balompie v Chelsea FC - UEFA Conference League Final 2025 - Source: Getty
Enzo Maresca hopes that the Blues' Conference League triumph will be a starting point for consistent performances. In an interview after the Blues' victory over Betis, Maresca said (via Ben Jacobs on X):
"Hopefully it can be a starting point to create a winning mentality. We need to win games and competitions."
In the recently concluded term, the Blues were inconsistent across competitions. But they still managed to finish fourth in the Premier League with 69 points from 38 games.
In 57 games across competitions in Maresca's first season, the Blues recorded 35 wins, nine draws, and 13 defeats.
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Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.
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