Chelsea booked their spot in the UEFA Conference League final, setting up a showdown with Real Betis after a 5-1 aggregate win over Djurgarden.
A much-rotated Blues side, featuring ten changes from the weekend win over Premier League champions Liverpool and including a first senior start for 16-year-old Reggie Walsh, barely broke stride at Stamford Bridge as they saw out a 1-0 second-leg win on Thursday night.
Enzo Maresca’s men, already holding a comfortable 4-1 advantage from the first leg in Sweden, wrapped up the tie with a first-half strike from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The midfielder calmly slotted home his fourth goal of the tournament after a slick through ball from 19-year-old Tyrique George.
Though Djurgarden’s vocal travelling supporters gave the Swedish side a spirited backing throughout, there was little they could do to lift their side against an assured Chelsea display. Despite a handful of second-half saves required from goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen – including a sharp stop to deny Daniel Stensson – the Blues never looked in danger.
The match also provided a stage for several of Chelsea’s highly-rated youngsters. Walsh, now the club’s youngest debutant in nearly six decades, impressed in midfield, while fellow teenagers Shim Mheuka and Genesis Antwi were introduced in the second half to gain valuable minutes on the European stage.
Chelsea now turn their attention to the final in Wroclaw, Poland, on May 28, where they’ll face Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis. The Spanish side edged out Fiorentina 4-3 after extra time in the other semi-final.
It will mark the Blues’ eighth major European final, and their first since lifting the Champions League trophy in 2021. For Maresca, it’s a golden opportunity to deliver silverware in his debut season – and the first of the post-Abramovich era.
Before their European date with destiny, however, Chelsea have domestic business to attend to. With a Champions League place for next season still on the line, they’ll travel to face top-four rivals Newcastle United this Sunday – where rested stars like Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, and Nicolas Jackson are expected to return in a crucial clash.
