Chelsea and Real Betis will bid to end a roller-coaster season by winning the Europa Conference League title in Poland on May 28.
While the two sides have been inconsistent this term, they can crown the campaign by winning UEFA’s third tier competition.
Chelsea are heavy favourites to win the Conference League with Betway, but it would be foolish to think the outcome is a foregone conclusion.
Read on as we look at how Betis and Chelsea reached the final before assessing which team is most likely to emerge victorious at the Wroclaw Stadium.
The Road to the Final
Real Betis
Play-Offs
- Kryvbas – W5-0 aggregate
League Phase
- Legia Warsaw (A) – L1-0
- FC Copenhagen (H) – D1-1
- Celje (H) – W2-1
- Mlada Boleslav (A) – L2-1
- Petrocub (A) – W1-0
- HJK (H) – W1-0
Knockout Stage
- Knockout Round Play-Off – Gent – W3-1 aggregate
- Round of 16 – Vitoria SC – W6-2 aggregate
- Quarter-Final – Jagiellonia – W3-1 aggregate
- Semi-Final – Fiorentina – W4-3 aggregate (AET)
Chelsea
Play-Offs
- Servette – W3-2 aggregate
League Phase
- Gent (H) – W4-2
- Panathinaikos (A) – W4-1
- Noah (H) – W8-0
- Heidenheim (A) – W2-0
- Astana (A) – W3-1
- Shamrock Rovers (H) – W5-1
Knockout Stage
- Round of 16 – FC Copenhagen – W3-1 aggregate
- Quarter-Final – Legia Warsaw – W4-2 aggregate
- Semi-Final – Djurgarden – W5-1 aggregate
Chelsea Should Not Underestimate Betis
Betis stumbled through the league phase of the competition, winning three and drawing one of their six matches to finish 15th in the standings.
However, Manchester United winger Antony’s arrival on loan during the winter transfer window proved to be the catalyst for a remarkable run to the final.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have built up an impressive head of steam over the past few months and have the ability to cause Chelsea problems.
They safely navigated their way through a tough semi-final tie against Fiorentina to keep themselves on course to win their first-ever European trophy.
Betis have plenty of experience in their squad including four-time Champions League winner Isco. The former Real Madrid star is in the latter stages of his career, but has lost none of his creativity.
Chelsea will take heart from their head-to-head record with Betis having won three and lost just one of their previous four meetings in Europe.
The Blues were untroubled during the league phase of the competition and have largely continued in the same vein in the knockout stage.
They suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Legia Warsaw in the second leg of the quarter-final, although the tie was already in the bag following a 3-0 win in Poland.
Their squad depth has given them a useful advantage during their Europa Conference League campaign and they are worthy favourites to lift the trophy.
Success in the competition would result in Chelsea making history as the first club to win every senior UEFA competition.
It is impossible to back against the Blues given the talent at their disposal, yet the suspicion remains that Betis can make life tricky for them.
Chelsea to win on penalties can be backed at 9/1, while Betis are rated as 10/1 shots to triumph after a shoot-out. Covering both outcomes may be a sensible way to wager on the final.
Winning a Trophy Would Ease the Pressure on Maresca
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has yet to convince everyone that he is the right man to lead the club into a successful new era.
There has been talk that he could be sacked if the Blues fail to qualify for the Champions League, although those rumours have been dismissed by the Telegraph.
Chelsea must win their final two league games against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest to be guaranteed a place in next season’s Champions League.
However, winning the Europa Conference League would secure a place in the Europa League for 2025/26, which would represent progress for the club.
Maresca could feasibly end the season by guiding Chelsea into the Champions League and winning a major trophy, which would be an excellent outcome.
Failure to achieve either could significantly crank up the pressure on the Chelsea boss, although the club will reportedly not sack him if that happens.
The Blues undoubtedly need some stability having hired and fired several managers in recent years, but the club is not renowned for its patience.
The internal view is that Chelsea have progressed under Maresca, regardless of what happens over the final few weeks of the season.
The fanbase have to be fully convinced, which is why Maresca desperately needs to have something tangible to show for his first year in charge.
Claiming the Europa Conference League title would be a significant step in the right direction for Maresca and buy him some breathing space with the fans.