The signings will keep on coming under this voraciousChelseaownership but it is unlikely they will ever make a smarter one than Cole Palmer. This was his stage. Palmer stood up when Chelsea needed him most. Two gorgeous assists in the space of five minutes – one for Enzo Fernández, one for Nicolas Jackson – turned the Uefa Conference League final around and brought the west Londoners their first trophy since being bought by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital three years ago.
The first of many? The predictability of the outcome did not make the feeling any less sweet at full-time. Enzo Maresca delighted in denying his mentor Manuel Pellegrini a first European trophy at the age of 71.Real Betisdreamt of a romantic finish after going 1-0 up but the financial reality took hold long before Moisés Caicedo made it 4-1 to Chelsea in added time.
It was a relief to focus on the football after two days marred by idiotic violence involving supporters of both sides in the city centre. Footage on social media showed riot police using tear gas and a water cannon to combat the disorder, resulting in 28 arrests and heightening tensions to an unnecessary degree in the hours before kick-off.
At least there was a positive vibe inside a stadium dominated by the green and white of Betis. There was no disguising the sense of longing emanating from the Spaniards, their desperation for their band of Premier League cast-offs to rise to the occasion in the club’s first European final. Chelsea, an incongruous presence in a competition never meant for squads built at a cost of over £1bn, were under pressure to match that desire. Word of them failing to fill their allocation hardly hinted at a club gripped by Conference League fever.
There was a surprising heaviness to Chelsea, who ought to have had a spring in their step after clinching Champions League qualification by beating Nottingham Forest last Sunday. The shape was wonky, the touches were loose and the early tactical was won by Pellegrini targeting the space left by Maresca’s system, which had Malo Gusto drifting inside from right-back to play as an auxiliary midfielder.
It was not clear why Chelsea’s strategy seemed to hing on Gusto’s turn as a quarterback. The Frenchman, who was one of five changes from Maresca, endured a torrid first half and was culpable when Betis went ahead after nine minutes. A slack ball into midfield invited trouble and Isco duly meted out the punishment, swivelling on the edge of the area and confounding Chelsea’s defenders with a beautiful disguised pass to Abde Ezzalzouli, free on the left and unchallenged as he drove a low shot past Filip Jörgensen.
Chelsea were shambolic. Maresca had gambled in defence, Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah preferred to Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo in the middle, but nothing worked. Simple tasks were beyond Chelsea and Ezzalzouli delighted in tormenting Gusto. Isco, a European champion on five occasions with Real Madrid, was also a joy to watch; everything went through him.
Betis called the shots. Marc Bartra stepped out of defence and tested Jörgensen from long range. Badiashile made a vital block to deny Johnny Cardoso. Maresca, who calls Pellegrini his footballing father, grew frenzied on the touchline. Chelsea had offered nothing in attack and were booed off at half-time.
Maresca used the break to correct his error of leaving out Reece James. The captain replaced Gusto, who retreated having produced one of the most calamitous performances in European final history, and gave Chelsea more poise. Still, though, there was little from Palmer and his fellow creators. Pedro Neto was irritable with himself on the right. Noni Madueke was quiet. Jackson needed better service.
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But Betis were less vibrant at the start of the second half. Marc Cucurella was doing well against Antony, who was in Manchester United mode, and it was a relief for Chelsea when Ezzalzouli limped off.
The mood changed, Chelsea stepping up, Fernández and Caicedo taking charge in midfield. Betis looked tired. They could not get out. Palmer took over. His influence grew, culminating in the moment when he cut in from the right and feathered a cross into the middle, the ball floating away from Bartra and in off Fernández’s head.
Chelsea’s superior pace and power came to the fore. Palmer was irrepressible. There he was again in the 70th minute, twisting and turning past the Betis substitute, Jesus Rodríguez. This time the cross was firmer; it found Jackson, who chested past Adrián to give Chelsea the lead.
This was the only European trophy missing for Chelsea. They knew it was theirs when two substitutes combined, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall dribbling through and finding Jadon Sancho, whose whipped a shot past Adrian. Caicedo then capped it off, firing in from 20 yards.