Chelsea have ended their trophy drought. It might not be one of the big ones but silverware is still sweet. The Blues got the better of Real Betis by a 4-1 scoreline to win the UEFA Conference League. The goals came from Enzo Fernandez, Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo while Cole Palmer was named man of the match.
It was not as one-sided of a game as the scoreline suggests. In fact, Real Betis were comfortably the better team in the first half and almost played Enzo Maresca's side off the park early on.
But they had only one goal to show for it. Then the Cold Palmer Show started in the second half. An incredible cross found Fernandez in the box, who nodded home to equalise. Then some brilliant feet and another peach of a ball saw Jackson give Chelsea the lead.
It was the coldest man in Poland who turned the tie around. Then, goals from Sancho and Caicedo put it beyond any doubt as Chelsea returned to their trophy-winning ways. Fans will be hoping that this is just the first of many for this young team.
Chelsea vs Real Betis: 5 Things We Learned
Cole Palmer is still cold
Palmer has been on the receiving end of plenty of criticism in the second half of the season. At times, he has seemed devoid of all confidence. While the goals have dried up, he proved though that he can still decide games without scoring. His beautiful assists are what won Chelsea the final, when all hope seemed lost.
Moises Caicedo caps off phenomenal season in style
It was poetic that Chelsea's last goal of the season came from Caicedo, a man who is not known for scoring them. This has been a phenomenal season for the Ecuadorian and it was nice to see him cap it off in style, with a strike worthy of the occasion.
Reece James substitution turns game around
It is easy to forget that Chelsea had seemed completely flat in the first half. Then Enzo Maresca made a bold decision, subbing off Malo Gusto at half-time of a final to bring on Reece James. The captain was solid as ever and deserves his fair share of credit for how much better the Blues looked in the second half, both going forward and defensively.
Good and bad of Nicolas Jackson
Jackson scored the goal that put Chelsea ahead on the night. Yet, this performance also showed why he might not be the man to lead the line for the Blues. The Senegal international was provided with a golden opportunity to put the game to bed but appeared to panic in the pressure situation, taking a heavy touch and wasting the opportunity. Thankfully, it did not affect the result.
Isco gives Chelsea owners a reality check
Over the past three seasons, Chelsea have spent over a billion pounds assembling some of the best young talent from around the world. Yet, it was a 33-year-old Isco who ran the show in the first half. Experience and quality matter. Hopefully, the owners will take the lesson and bring in some in the summer. Winning the Conference League is great but the Blues need to target much bigger prizes in the future.