Chelsea has clinched the UEFA Europa Conference League title, completing the first 'Grand Slam' in European football.
On the 29th (Korea time), Chelsea secured victory against Real Betis (Spain) with a score of 4-1 in the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) final held at Stadion Miejski in Wrocław, Poland.
With this victory, Chelsea became the first club to reach the top in all five UEFA-sanctioned club competitions, including the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, Super Cup, and the now-defunct 'Winners' Cup,' marking a new page in the history of European club competitions.
Chelsea has experienced a period of stagnation since winning the Club World Cup in 2022. This Conference League victory marks the first trophy in three years.
Chelsea sees this victory as a starting signal for the club's resurgence.
The early stages of the match were somewhat unstable. Chelsea conceded the first goal to Abde Ezzalzouli in the 9th minute of the first half, trailing 0-1. They finished the first half behind without regaining control.
However, after the halftime break, the atmosphere completely shifted. In the 65th minute, Enzo Fernández scored the equalizer, signaling the start of their comeback. Just five minutes later, Nicolás Jackson headed in a reversal goal, and in the 83rd minute, Jadon Sancho added another goal with a curl shot.
Maintaining their momentum, Chelsea added a late goal from Moisés Caicedo during stoppage time, sealing their victory. They displayed focus by overcoming the first-half concession and scoring four goals in the second half for a dramatic comeback win.
In contrast, Real Betis, who reached the final of a UEFA-sanctioned competition for the first time in club history, could not maintain their early momentum and had to settle for the runner-up position.
According to the BBC, Enzo Maresca, Chelsea's manager, noted, "Winning is essential to creating a culture of victory at Chelsea," adding, "This trophy will make us stronger."
Chelsea will participate in the upcoming Club World Cup to be held in the United States this summer. Manager Maresca stated, "Now we have 10 days of rest. We will recover our energy during that time. The goal is to prepare well for each game."
[OSEN]