'I was sick of going backwards': Cole Palmer explains Chelsea heroics in Conference League final
Cole Palmer has admitted he grew frustrated at Chelsea's lack of invention during the Conference League final before taking matters into his own hands.
The Blues produced a second-half comeback to down Real Betis and lift the third-tier European trophy in Poland, becoming the first team to win every UEFA competition.
Abde Ezzalzouli's strike gave Betis the lead as Chelsea toiled in the first half before sparking into life after the break, their revival inspired by the creativity of Palmer at the Wroclaw Stadium.
Goals from Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson - both set up by the excellent Palmer - plus late strikes from Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo secured the silverware.
Palmer's two assists in five minutes saw him named Player of the Match, and the Chelsea talisman produced a typically straightforward explanation for his double salvo.
I was just sick of getting the ball and going backwards and sideways
Cole Palmer
"I was just sick of getting the ball and going backwards and sideways," he told reporters. "I thought 'when I next get the ball I'm going to go' and it worked.
"There was a bit of space chopping and changing and I saw Enzo running, so I just put it over the top."
Palmer has endured a frustrating second half of the season, especially in the Premier League, but his crucial interventions on Wednesday night was a return to form for the former Manchester City man.
'If you saw what he did today, it was crazy to be honest,' added centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo. 'Two very special individual moments where he was able to hold onto the ball and provide bundles of quality to put the ball onto Enzo and Nico to score two great goals.
'He completely changed the game and that's what he does, man.'
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