Football | Can Real Betis shock Chelsea in Conference League final?

Chelsea v Real Betis Preview

Former Premier League winner Manuel Pellegrini has guided Betis to the 2024-25 final, having overseen the renaissances of Isco and Antony over the past several months, and the former was the star of the semi-finals.

Author | Peter Grainger

A closer look at that semi-final

Real Betis traveled to Italy with a 2-1 lead from the first leg against Fiorentina. They found themselves 2-1 down and facing the possibility of penalties. However, Antony, who had scored with a free kick earlier, provided a crucial assist to Abde Ezzalzouli in the 97th minute, allowing Betis to progress under dramatic circumstances with a 2-2 draw.

There are plenty of other familiar names in the Betis squad, this includes goalkeeper Adrian, former Barcelona defender Marc Barta and Switzerland stalwart Ricardo Rodriguez. Who can forget their legend Isco. 

READ MORE | Chelsea's Conference League final preview

Unfortunately, that draw marked the beginning of a challenging period for Pellegrini's team. They were unable to secure a victory in their final four La Liga matches of the season. Nevertheless, their sixth-place finish in the Spanish top-flight table guarantees them a spot in next season's Europa League.

A closer look at their season

As we have already said, they finished the season in 6th place. This still represents a decent La Liga season despite them not winning their last four matches. Missing out on Champions League football was a disappointment but this will largely be forgotten if they win their first ever European trophy.

In March, they came from behind to beat Real Madrid with Isco scoring the winner against his former club. Isco was the best player that night, running the show with 97 touches, only behind former team-mate Luka Modric.

Jack L has watched a number of Real Betis matches this season, he said: "I really hope Betis win this match. It would make a great advert for the Conference League if they were to win it. They have put in some fantastic performances this season and a victory against Chelsea will give the whole club a huge boost."