POLAND, May 28 — Enzo Maresca revealed he had to persuade his Chelsea players that the UEFA Conference League was the “best competition in the world” as they gear up for tonight’s final against Real Betis.
POLAND, May 28 — Enzo Maresca revealed he had to persuade his Chelsea players that the UEFA Conference League was the “best competition in the world” as they gear up for tonight’s final against Real Betis.
The Premier League side is aiming to finish the season on a high in Wroclaw, having already secured a Champions League berth for next season.
A victory over Betis would make Chelsea the first club to win all four major UEFA tournaments, adding the Conference League to their previous Champions League, Europa League, and now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup titles.
Maresca, in his first season managing at Stamford Bridge, admitted he had to stress the significance of Europe’s third-tier tournament to his squad.
“Probably the most difficult part of the Conference League this season was convincing the players that, for us, it was the best competition in the world,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
“The reason was simple — it was the competition we were in.”
Although Chelsea are two-time European champions, they haven’t lifted silverware since their 2021 Champions League triumph under then-manager Thomas Tuchel, who now coaches England.
“We can't play in the Champions League or the Europa League if we’re in the Conference League. So this was our most important competition, and we need to try and win it.
“If we succeed, it’s a step forward — especially in building a winning mentality.”
Chelsea entered the tournament as favourites and have delivered dominant performances, netting a record 38 goals and winning 11 of their 12 matches en route to the final.
Maresca, 45, will face off against 71-year-old Manuel Pellegrini — a figure he calls a football “father” — having played under him at Malaga and later worked as his assistant at West Ham.
Real Betis, based in Seville and playing their first European final, finished sixth in La Liga.
‘Outburst’
Maresca also responded to critics following Chelsea’s 1–0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, which confirmed a fourth-place Premier League finish. The manager, visibly emotional, had used strong language in his post-match comments.
Chelsea’s starting XI has been the youngest ever recorded over a full Premier League season. While they were close behind champions Liverpool in December, a mid-season slump was followed by a strong finish.
Reflecting on Sunday, Maresca described his reaction as an emotional “outburst.”
“From our side, we felt the criticism wasn’t fair,” he said.
“Yes, we’re young — the youngest squad in Premier League history — but these are men. So I told the players, ‘Today is a chance to show we’re not just young, we’re mature, we can compete, and we can deliver.’”
The former Leicester City boss added that securing a Champions League spot had been a major boost.
“We feel a lot better now,” he said. “I’ve said throughout the season that for many reasons, it was already a good campaign.
“But it becomes a very good one if we finish in the top four or five — and if we win the final tomorrow.
“The first goal has been achieved. Now, we hope to achieve the second.” — AFP pic
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