With UEFA Champions League qualification already secured for next season, can Chelsea crown their strong finish with silverware as they take on Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final?
Table of Contents
Real Betis vs Chelsea: Preview
The second of Europe’s three major finals unfolds on Wednesday at the Tarczyński Arena in Wrocław, where Chelsea aim to add silverware to their fourth-place Premier League finish by overcoming Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final.
Given their vast resources, Chelsea were widely tipped to reach this stage. In fact, they had the luxury of omitting Cole Palmer from their group-stage squad during the first half of the season.
Since entering in the first round, Enzo Maresca’s side have eased past FC Copenhagen (3-1 on aggregate), Legia Warsaw (4-2), and Djurgården (5-1) – not exactly European powerhouses, but tests they took seriously.
Now, history beckons. With UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup titles in 1971 and 1998, UEFA Champions League triumphs in 2012 and 2021, and UEFA Europa League victories in 2013 and 2019, Chelsea could become the first club to win all four major UEFA competitions.
They enter Wednesday’s showdown buoyed by sealing a return to the Champions League after a two-year absence. Levi Colwill’s decisive finish from a Pedro Neto cross against Nottingham Forest secured their top-four spot on the final day, ensuring Maresca’s first season at the helm is already viewed as a success—regardless of the final’s outcome.
Including Enzo Maresca, each of the last seven Chelsea managers to lead the club into a major European final have done so in their debut season—and five of the previous six lifted the trophy.
Gianluca Vialli guided Chelsea to Cup Winners’ Cup glory in 1997-98, Roberto Di Matteo delivered the club’s first Champions League title in 2011-12, Rafael Benítez claimed the 2012-13 Europa League, Maurizio Sarri triumphed in the 2018-19 edition of the same competition, and Thomas Tuchel secured Champions League success in 2020-21. Only Avram Grant fell short, narrowly losing the 2007-08 Champions League final.
Chelsea’s path to this year’s Conference League final has been nothing short of emphatic. Their 38 goals in the tournament are already the highest ever scored by a team in a single season since the competition’s inception in 2021.
Chelsea have seen 16 different players get on the scoresheet in this season’s UEFA Conference League—more than any other team. Marc Guiu leads the pack with six goals, narrowly ahead of Christopher Nkunku’s five. However, with Guiu only recently returning from injury and Nkunku expected to depart, Nicolas Jackson is likely to spearhead the attack after serving a Premier League suspension.
Enzo Fernández has also made a major impact in limited minutes. Only Celje’s Svit Seslar (eight) has provided more assists than the Argentine’s five, despite Fernández featuring for just 251 minutes. Among players with at least 250 minutes played, he boasts the best minutes-per-goal-involvement ratio—one every 42 minutes.
Chelsea have made full use of the competition to rotate their squad, fielding more players than any other side (36). Yet despite that, they are expected to field a near full-strength lineup for the final, with Filip Jörgensen the likely starter in goal ahead of Robert Sánchez.
Standing in Chelsea’s way are Real Betis, who have already secured a spot in the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League by finishing sixth in La Liga under the guidance of former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini.
This marks Pellegrini’s first appearance in a major European final, making him only the second Chilean coach to reach this stage after Fernando Riera, who led Benfica to the 1963 European Cup final—ultimately losing 2-1 to AC Milan.
Betis have arguably navigated a more challenging path to the final than Chelsea. After finishing 15th in the league phase, they overcame Gent (3-1 on aggregate), Vitória Guimarães (6-2), Jagiellonia Białystok (3-1), and edged Fiorentina (4-3) to reach the showpiece.
Their charge for a historic first European title has been driven in part by the resurgence of Antony. On loan after a disappointing spell at Manchester United, the Brazilian has tallied seven goal contributions in eight Conference League matches—four goals and three assists. That’s a stark contrast to his underwhelming United tenure, where he managed just two goals and no assists in 17 European games.
Another key threat for Chelsea is Cédric Bakambu, whose seven goals in the tournament are bettered only by Jagiellonia Białystok’s Afimico Pululu (eight). With two additional assists, Bakambu sits just behind Seslar (10) for total goal involvements in this season’s competition.
Real Betis vs Chelsea: Head-to-Head
Real Betis are set to appear in their first-ever major European final, becoming the 12th Spanish club to do so. They are also the first Spanish side since Villarreal in 2020-21 to make their debut in a continental final—on that occasion, the Yellow Submarine edged out Manchester United on penalties to win the Europa League.
Betis have a poor record against English clubs, winning just one of their eight encounters across all competitions (one draw, six defeats). Interestingly, that sole victory came against Chelsea in the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have struggled recently against Spanish opposition. They’ve lost three of their last four UEFA fixtures against La Liga sides (one win), all of which came against Real Madrid in the Champions League between 2022 and 2023. That’s as many losses as they suffered in their previous 29 meetings with Spanish clubs (11 wins, 15 draws—excluding the UEFA Super Cup).
To claim the Conference League crown, Chelsea will need to overcome a daunting trend. Spanish teams have won each of the last nine major European finals against English opponents. The last Premier League side to break that streak was Liverpool, who defeated Alavés 5-4 in the dramatic 2001 UEFA Cup final.
Real Betis vs Chelsea: Recent Form
Real Betis
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DLDDDW
Latest: Real Betis 1-1 Valencia, La Liga, 23/05
Where they finished: 6th in La Liga
Chelsea
Form (all competitions, most recent first): WWLWWW
Latest: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Chelsea, Premier League, 25/05
Where they finished: 4th in the Premier League
Real Betis vs Chelsea: Team News and Predicted Lineup
Real Betis – Team News
Real Betis appear likely to have Giovani Lo Celso available for their Conference League final clash against Chelsea tonight. The midfielder, who rejoined Betis last summer in a last-minute bargain deal, has been a regular under Manuel Pellegrini but missed the recent 1-1 draw with Valencia as Betis secured sixth place in LaLiga.
Initially doubtful for the final, Lo Celso was spotted training normally at an open session on Tuesday alongside teammates Johnny Cardoso, Ricardo Rodriguez, and Fran Vieites, suggesting he could feature. Right-back Youssouf Sabaly is also expected to recover in time, while Hector Bellerin, Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, and Chimy Ávila remain sidelined through injury.
Pellegrini faces a goalkeeper selection dilemma between Fran Vieites, who has guarded the net in the Conference League since Rui Silva’s January departure, and Adrián, who usually starts in the league. Defensively, Sabaly is set to fill in for Bellerin, with Marc Bartra and loanee Natan forming the central defense, and Rodriguez likely at left-back.
In midfield, Johnny Cardoso—linked with Tottenham—is poised to play a key role, complemented by attacking talents such as Pablo Fornals, Antony (on loan from Manchester United), and former Real Madrid star Isco. Sergi Altimira offers another midfield option, while Cedric Bakambu is expected to spearhead the attack. If Lo Celso isn’t fit enough to start, Abde Ezzalzouli could retain his spot.
Betis arrived in Poland on Monday amid ongoing fitness concerns, with Pellegrini cautious over Cardoso’s condition since their trip to Atlético Madrid. Despite these doubts, the team’s hopes largely rest on the creative contributions of Isco and the impactful Antony, who has thrived since joining mid-season.
Real Betis – Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
- Goalkeeper: Adrián
- Defenders: Sabaly, Bartra, Natan, Rodríguez
- Midfielders: Cardoso, Fornals, Isco
- Forwards: Antony, Ezzalzouli, Bakambu
Chelsea – Team News
Chelsea head into the UEFA Conference League final with renewed confidence following their weekend win over Nottingham Forest, which secured a return to the Champions League. That result is likely to influence Enzo Maresca’s team selection, with minimal changes expected from the side that featured on Sunday—aside from reintroducing a few players who have been key figures in Europe.
Nicolas Jackson is back from suspension and is expected to reclaim his spot up front, providing Chelsea with a natural focal point in attack. His return comes at a crucial time, especially with fatigue a concern following a quick turnaround from domestic action. Betis, notably, enjoyed a longer recovery period after wrapping up their La Liga campaign on Friday.
Goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen is set to start, continuing his near ever-present run in the competition. In defence, Trevoh Chalobah may be recalled after missing out in the league recently, while Maresca will weigh up the risk of starting Reece James twice in quick succession. Malo Gusto is on standby if rotation is required at right-back.
Marc Guiu, who impressed in the group stage with a flurry of goals before an injury setback, was on the bench against Forest and may be in line for minutes in the final. Christopher Nkunku, having also recovered from a spell on the sidelines, is part of the travelling party to Wrocław. However, Romeo Lavia remains unavailable due to being omitted from the European squad earlier in the season for workload management.
Chelsea – Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
- Goalkeeper: Jørgensen
- Defenders: James, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Cucurella
- Midfielders: Caicedo, Dewsbury-Hall, Palmer
- Forwards: Madueke, Sancho, Jackson
Real Betis vs Chelsea: Prediction
All signs suggest a Chelsea victory in Poland. Maresca’s men ended their Premier League campaign in impressive fashion, claiming four wins from their final five matches, including notable victories over Liverpool, Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest.
In contrast, Real Betis arrive in Wrocław on a poor run of form, going four games without a win since their semi-final triumph over Fiorentina. Their most recent outing saw them comfortably beaten by Atlético Madrid.
With Chelsea’s defence tightening up and recent European finals being closely fought affairs, this contest could be decided by fine margins. A narrow 1-0 win for the Blues seems a likely outcome.
When and Where to Watch Conference League Final Match? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The UEFA Conference League Final between Real Betis and Chelsea will take place at the Tarczyński Arena in Wrocław, Poland. The match is set for May 29 at 12:30 am IST. It will be broadcast live on the Sony Network and can be streamed online via Sony LIV.
FAQs
Is Giovani Lo Celso fit to play for Real Betis in the Conference League final?
Yes, Giovani Lo Celso trained normally on Tuesday and is expected to be available for the final against Chelsea.
Is Nicolas Jackson available for Chelsea’s final against Real Betis?
Yes, Nicolas Jackson returns from suspension to lead Chelsea’s attack in the final.
Which key players are missing for Real Betis in the final against Chelsea?
Hector Bellerin, Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, and Chimy Ávila are injured and won’t feature in the final.
How has Chelsea performed recently in the Premier League?
Chelsea won four of their last five Premier League games, including wins over Liverpool, Man United, and Nottingham Forest.
Has Chelsea ever won multiple different major European trophies?
Yes, Chelsea has won the Champions League, Europa League, and Cup Winners’ Cup, and aims to add the Conference League trophy.
