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Enzo Maresca blames over-celebrating Champions League qualification for Chelsea's slow start in Conference League final - before Blues bounced back to beat Real Betis
Enzo Maresca blames over-celebrating Champions League qualification for Chelsea's slow start in Conference League final - before Blues bounced back to beat Real Betis

Daily Mail​

time2 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mail​

Enzo Maresca blames over-celebrating Champions League qualification for Chelsea's slow start in Conference League final - before Blues bounced back to beat Real Betis

Enzo Maresca has blamed Chelsea's post-match celebrations against Nottingham Forest for their slow start in the UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis. The Blues completed a historic set of European trophies after beating their Spanish counterparts 4-1 on Wednesday night - having fought back from one-goal down. Though Chelsea were electric in the second-half, their performance before the break was lacklustre and resulted in full-back Malo Gusto being substituted at half-time. After the match, Maresca discussed Chelsea's slow start and attributed it to their celebrations after beating Forest and qualifying for the Champions League. Speaking to TNT Sports, Maresca said: 'I think we approached the game in the wrong way. I expected it a bit because the happiness was too much after Nottingham. 'So we struggled a bit to start but in the second-half we were much better'. "The fans, they deserved that" 👏 Enzo Maresca sums up his feelings after winning the Conference League, Reece James' impact, and what he is hoping for next season 👀 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 28, 2025 Pressed further on the issues his side faced, he explained: 'The happiness and a little bit of tiredness. We had 48 hours less than them. 'They played Friday for nothing. We played on Sunday for a big target. But in the second half we were much better'. The Blues boss was then quizzed on the decision to take off Gusto - and replace him with club captain Reece James - at the interval. Maresca said: 'Malo is one of my favourite players. The problem is, the first goal that we conceded was because he missed the pass. 'But they are young and they don't understand that if you make a mistake, you have to continue. For me, he is a top player'. It was Betis who opened the scoring, in the ninth minute of the match, after a well-taken strike by Abdessamad Ezzalzouli flew beyond Filip Jorgensen. Enzo Maresca 's Blues battled away for a response in the remainder of the first-half - however were left frustrated as they failed to find an answer. Malo Gusto was singled out as one of Chelsea 's struggling stars and was replaced by club captain Reece James in a bid to claw themselves back into the game. Though it took longer than they would've liked, they did exactly that in the 65th minute after Enzo Fernandez nodded home from a floated Cole Palmer cross. The momentum swung in Chelsea's favour and just six minutes later they were ahead as Palmer once again crafted a goal out of nothing and gifted a six-yard header for Nicolas Jackson to finish.

Chelsea ratings: Cole Palmer single-handedly turns final around as Malo Gusto is hauled off after first half horror show
Chelsea ratings: Cole Palmer single-handedly turns final around as Malo Gusto is hauled off after first half horror show

Scottish Sun

time2 days ago

  • Sport
  • Scottish Sun

Chelsea ratings: Cole Palmer single-handedly turns final around as Malo Gusto is hauled off after first half horror show

One Chelsea sub added much needed stability to their display PALM SPRINGS Chelsea ratings: Cole Palmer single-handedly turns final around as Malo Gusto is hauled off after first half horror show COLE PALMER delivered two golden moments to dig Chelsea out of trouble and deliver their American owners a first trophy. The Blues were trailing to Abde Ezzalzouli's shock opener, which set the tone for a terrible first half from Enzo Maresca's men. Advertisement 24 Chelsea stars celebrate winning the Conference League Credit: AFP But after steadying themselves just before the break, Chelsea finally got their act together and turned this final around to truly win it all. Palmer delivered a succulent cross for Enzo Fernandez to flick home a leveller on 66 minutes. Moments later he bamboozled Jesus Rodriguez to turn in behind and cross for Jackson, who tried to head home but converted with his chest. Betis had shown plenty of fight and heart in the first half, but looked incapable of coming back. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL STREET BATTLE Chelsea & Real Betis fans CLASH in Poland launching bottles & smoke grenades They were killed off by substitute Jadon Sancho, who whipped home a fine curling finish on 83 minutes before Moises Caicedo stretched Chelsea further ahead in injury time. Here is how SunSport rated the Blues… Filip Jorgensen – 6 Maresca gave Jorgensen a show of faith by declaring he would start this final, after a season of flip-flopping between the sticks. There was little the goalkeeper could have done about Ezzalzouli's goal, though he responded with a fine save to deny a fierce Marc Bartra shot minutes later. Advertisement BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 24 Filip Jorgensen was in for Robert Sanchez in goal Credit: Getty 24 Malo Gusto - 3 The Frenchman was selected to start ahead of skipper Reece James – a decision Maresca corrected at half-time by hooking Gusto. Advertisement Gusto gifted the ball to Betis in the build-up to Ezzalzouli's fine opener, and it was a mistake which seemed to rattle the right-back. Moment Chelsea & Real Betis fans CLASH in Poland launching bottles & smoke grenades hours before Europa Conference final There were more mistakes to come, including completely missing a heavy touch by Ezzalzouli which almost cost another goal. 24 Malo Gusto struggled during the first half before being hooked Credit: Alamy 24 Advertisement Trevoh Chalobah – 6 Given how the defender was treated at the start of the season, brutally told to find himself a loan elsewhere, it is remarkable that Chalobah was even here. He took a whack to the face inside the first minute but recovered to put in a solid enough display, growing into the game and showing his ability on the ball. 24 Trevoh Chalobah has established himself at Chelsea since returning from Palace Credit: Getty 24 Advertisement Benoit Badiashile – 5 Badiashile was replaced early in the second half after picking up a silly booking for complaining to the referee. That was about the only thing of note from his performance, with the Blues struggling to hold back the Betis forwards throughout a ragged first half. 24 Benoit Badiashile challenges Real Betis veteran Isco Credit: AFP 24 Advertisement Marc Cucurella – 7 Everyone had earmarked Antony as Real Betis' biggest threat going into this final. Given his form, Cucurella was told to stay firmly in position, rather than drifting into midfield as the Spaniard usually does. And he stuck to his task doggedly, restricting Antony to a fringe role in Wroclaw. 24 Marc Cucurella easily dealt with Man Utd loanee Antony Credit: Getty Advertisement 24 Moises Caicedo - 7 The £115million midfielder struggled to get a grip on the mesmeric Isco throughout a rotten first half. Isco ran rings around the Chelsea midfield, with Caicedo resorting to shoving the Spaniard before wiping him out. Caicedo found his feet after the break to bring some much needed composure and control after the break – key to slowing down Betis and getting Chelsea back into the game. Advertisement He capped a superb individual season with an instinctive finish from the edge of the box. 24 Moises Caicedo fires home Chelsea's fourth Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 24 Enzo Fernandez - 7 Fernandez was started in the more advanced role ahead of Caicedo, but it took him a bit of time to get going. Advertisement However, with Chelsea offering precious little quality in the final third it was the man who started the night as captain who delivered. Fernandez's run behind Bartra was perfectly timed and he met Palmer's cross with a very well placed header. Fernandez kept going late on, too. The World Cup winner drove at the Betis defence before teeing up Caicedo's strike. 24 Enzo Fernandez equalised for the Blues Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 24 Advertisement Noni Madueke - 6 Struggled to create too much going forwards, probing with the odd run which did not lead to much. However, given he spent most of the game on the right with either Gusto or James moving into midfield – the winger had a lot on his hands defensively. 24 Noni Madueke didn't have one of his more lively outings Credit: Getty 24 Advertisement Cole Palmer – 8 The man who rescued Chelsea once again. There may have been a big margin by the end but Palmer's magic moments which turned this game. Palmer showed some promise early on but there would have been fears from the Chelsea end that he was fading after that – though he dispelled them across five fantastic minutes in the second half That was until the England man delivered a sublime cross to get the Blues back into the game. Advertisement He then followed it up with an even better assist, wonderfully drawing in and rolling Betis sub Jesus Rodriguez before delivering a cross which, despite his best efforts to screw it up, Jackson could not miss. 24 Cole Palmer was in brilliant creative form Credit: EPA 24 Pedro Neto - 4 The Portuguese winger started out on the right before switching to the left flank, but offered precious little wherever he was playing. Advertisement There was plenty of hustle and bustle whenever the ball came his way, but nothing in the way of quality before he was replaced just after the hour mark. 24 Pedro Neto wasn't effective on the wing for Chelsea Credit: Reuters 24 Nicolas Jackson – 7 This more than made up for the red card at Newcastle. Advertisement Jackson worked hard throughout a tricky first half for a striker starved of service, continuing to try and get in behind the Betis defence. He was in the right place at the right time, a trait of all good strikers, to bundle in the winner. Jackson should have had one more when clean through on the break but took a heavy touch which allowed Adrian to intervene. 24 Nicolas Jackson fired the Blues into the lead Credit: Getty Advertisement 24 Substitutes Reece James (Gusto, 45') – 6 Added some much needed stability to Chelsea's right hand side, despite a tricky start to the second half. Chelsea were all over the place when Gusto was on the pitch, but there was none of that after the break. Advertisement Jadon Sancho (Neto, 61') – 7 Added some spark and pace to the Chelsea attack, which had hardly threatened the Betis back line for the most part. Sancho, whose future is still to be determined, needed a statement to sign off with this season and delivered a fine finish to offer a reminder of why he was in the Champions League final this time last year. 24 Advertisement Levi Colwill (Badiashile, 61') – 6 The Blues academy graduate was desperate to win his first trophy with the club and will have been disappointed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Jackson, 80') – 7 Showed plenty of energy and endeavour to charge forward and tee up Sancho's goal – killing off any hopes of a late Betis leveller. Advertisement Marc Guiu (Palmer, 87') – n/a

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