- Chelsea target Conference League final.
- Maresca defends young squad, praises winning mentality.
- Real Betis seek first European title under veteran coach Pellegrini.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca says he had to work hard to convince his players that the UEFA Conference League is “the best competition in the world,” as the Blues prepare to take on Real Betis in a potentially historic final in Wroclaw on Tuesday, May 28.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in his debut season at Stamford Bridge, Maresca stands on the verge of guiding Chelsea to a unique milestone—becoming the first club to win all four major UEFA competitions. Chelsea have previously claimed the Champions League, Europa League, and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup. Victory tonight would complete the European set.
“Probably the most complicated thing this season about the Conference League has been to convince the players that, for us, it was the best competition in the world,” Maresca told journalists in his pre-match press conference. “And the reason why was because it was the competition that we were in.”
Chelsea, despite their storied European legacy, have not lifted a trophy since their Champions League triumph in 2021 under then-manager Thomas Tuchel, now the England national team coach. A win tonight would also mark the club’s first silverware under Maresca, and cap off a strong resurgence after a rocky start to the campaign.
Having already secured qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League with a crucial 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest last weekend, the focus now is on ending the season on a high note.
“We cannot play the Champions League if we are in the Conference. We are in the Conference, so for us, it was the most important competition, and we need to try to win that,” said the 45-year-old coach. “If we can win, I think it’s a good thing, especially because we continue to build a winning mentality.”
Chelsea have been dominant in the tournament, scoring 38 goals and winning 11 out of 12 matches. Their final hurdle is against Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis—sixth-place finishers in La Liga—who are appearing in a European final for the first time in their history.
Maresca holds deep admiration for the veteran Betis manager, calling the 71-year-old his “football father,” having played under Pellegrini at Malaga and later served as his assistant at West Ham United.
He also addressed criticism surrounding the youthfulness of his squad, which featured the youngest average starting XI in Premier League history this season.
“They were not talking in the right way,” Maresca said of the critics. “Yes, we are young. But at the same time, they are men… Sunday was a chance to show that we are mature enough, we can compete, and we can do the right things.”
Kickoff at Wroclaw Stadium is scheduled for 8 PM local time. For Chelsea, it’s a shot at European completion. For Betis, it’s a chance to etch their name in continental football history.
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