Football editor Alex Keble Thought about the triumph of Chelsea in the final of the UEFA conference league against Real Betis.
Chelsea has become the first team in history to win the five European Trophies of the club after coming from behind to beat the real Betis 4-1 at the Stadion Wroclaw in Poland, graceful of a magnificent second half display of Cole Palmer.
It is the result that most people were waiting for, and yet for a while, it seemed that it would be a story of master against apprentice; of Manuel Pellegrini And the highly experienced isco educated his former assistant ENZO MARESCA And his young side.
Instead, Chélat were endemic in the second half and simply stunned Betis, perhaps triggering a new dawn. It was a performance of transition to adulthood – and a first major trophy for Maresca and the majority of its players.
This could be a transformer for this side, which now has this winning feeling and the confidence that comes with silverware. This also applies to Maresca, whose inspired substitutions have turned the trend.
Palmer was one of those who collect his first winner medal tonight, and no one in Wroclaw deserved it only the Chelsea Talisman, who saw Isco put the first 45 magical minutes and decided to take matters into his own hands.
Isco dazzles in a first half of the first half that has chelsea on the strings
It was Betis who left the blocks to enjoy a first stage of the first 10 minutes open, catching Chelsea’s cold with a disarming approach.
Pablo fornals intercepted a Malo Gusto Pass 25 meters from the goal and in a few seconds, Isco had played an intelligently disguised pass in Abde Ezzalzouli, who pulled low in the most distant corner to send Betis to a ninth minute advance – and send their fans to pandonium.
It was a goal that carefully summarized the scheme of a dominant first half for Betis and a lukewarm from Chelsea, which entered the trap directly.
Chelsea was frequently taken by fast breaks that saw Ezzalzouli exceed enthusiasm, a clearly deliberate strategy that almost saw the Spanish side double their lead 10 minutes after the opening.
Ezzalzouli slipped in front of an enthusiasm after a careful leg game from Isco, only this time that Betis had a gold opportunity, Johnny Cardoso pulling on when he should have done 2-0.
The first half continued in this way, Betis growing with confidence and Isco leading the show.
Indeed, it was majestic in the first 45, a performance by Masterclass which seemed to show the Gulf in class and the experience between the winner of five times in the 33 -year -old Champions League and the young team of Maresca.
But Palmer had other ideas.
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Substitutions return the story
Unsurprisingly, Chelsea’s display caused part-time substitution as a captain Reece James came to replace Gusto, and suddenly, Chelsea began asking serious questions to the defense of Betis.
They made a penalty call reject when Nicolas Jackson and goalkeeper Adrian I went for the same air ball, then, while the pressure increased, Palmer arrived.
He twisted and turned right and, apparently nothing, delivered a perfect curling cross in the path of Enzo FernandezWho took a look in the lower corner to give Chelsea an equalizer of 65th minute.
It was Palmer’s game now. A few minutes later, he was again in the heart of the action, a soaking spicy Adrian’s hands.
No one thought about Isco, and five minutes later, it would, with force, become the final of Palmer.
He picked up the ball to the right, slowed down things, then went beautifully to move away from Jesus Rodriguez and cross perfectly for Jackson to put it in tune at home.
The first with the left foot, the second with the right, Palmer had taken total control.
However, what followed was frantic. Betis fought for an equalizer, overthrowing the style of the competition while Chelsea began to benefit from counterattacks until the 83rd minute, the Maresca team finally killed the game.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall led the break and nourished Jadon Sancho – A submarine of the other – to cut inside and send a superb curling effort in front of Adrian with 83 minutes at the chronometer.
Maresca’s changes had done so, and as Betis fans looked with horror, Caicedo months Wrapped a second sensational half for Chelsea with a fourth goal at the first minute of the time of downtime.
Directed by Palmer, the young side of Maresca can intensify a level this summer
The future looks good after that. It may not be the high level game that Chelsea wants to play, but surpassing yourself is an important moment for such a young team.
Marc CucurellaAt 26, was the oldest Chelsea starter tonight, making it the second side to start a major UEFA final without a 27 -year -old or more player in their XI after Crvena Zvezda against Borussia Monchengladbach in the two legs of the 1978/79 UEFA Cup final.
Each experience is an opportunity for learning, and each victory on this scale an important step in its development, in particular with a Champions League campaign to follow next season.
“This can be a starting point,” said Maresca TNT SPORTS“And tonight, for next season, we can create something important.”
Chelsea is one of the six Premier League clubs to qualify for the Champions League and, in a new projection of the force of English football at the moment, the Maresca team has made it a historic season for the Premier League.
For the very first time, five different premier clubs won a trophy in the same campaign: Liverpool (Premier League), Crystal Palace (Fa cup), Newcastle United (EFL Cup), Tottenham Hotspur (UEFA Europa League) and Chelsea (UEFA Conference League).
However, Chelsea’s only objective will be on their own future.
And with Palmer, who has become the first player to help twice in a European final since the 2017/18 Champions League final, when Marcelo established two goals for Real Madrid against Liverpool, Chelsea will begin to believe that everything is possible next year.
Palmer beat Isco, beat everyone and responded to four slow months according to his high standards perfectly. He will feel invincible this evening.
In August, with the FIFA club World Cup in sight before this date, Chelsea could also.
