Chelsea Wins Conference League Final Over Real Betis, Ends Trophy Drought

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca named Malo Gusto as one of his favourite players despite the right-back's difficult first-half performance in their 4-1 Conference League final win over Real Betis, where he was substituted at halftime. Maresca explained that he chose to start Gusto over Reece James due to concerns about James' injury history and workload management, though he praised James as a top player and was eager to start him whenever possible. The team lifted their first trophy of the post-Roman Abramovich era, with contributions from players like Jadon Sancho, whose future remains uncertain despite scoring in the final. Maresca confirmed Filip Jorgensen would start in goal, rewarding him for his consistent performances throughout the competition. Ahead of the final, Maresca expressed respect for Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini, whom he regards as a mentor, and emphasized Chelsea's readiness and ambition to win the trophy following a strong Premier League campaign. Former Chelsea winger Joe Cole suggested Maresca would field a stronger side for the final and endorsed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as a starter due to his impressive form in the competition.