UEFA Conference League 24/25: Favourites, Predictions, and Betting Odds
The UEFA Conference League semi-finals kick off on May 1st. Compared to its older sibling, the Europa League — and especially the chaotic Champions League — this tournament has followed a more predictable path. Three of the four pre-season favourites have made it to the final four. And then, of course, there’s Chelsea — widely tipped to go all the way even before the draw was made.
Who Will Reach the Conference League Final?
Will Fiorentina make it to the final for the third time in three seasons? Who can stop Chelsea from claiming the trophy? We’ll cover it all and, of course, suggest the best betting options.
Conference League Semi Final Odds
Bookmakers have generally done a great job predicting the results in the Conference League, and even more so in the semi-finals. In the short history of the tournament, 5 out of 6 of the bookies' favourites have made it to the final. The biggest surprise, of course, was last season’s Olympiacos, who went on to win the trophy.
Chelsea vs Djurgården: This is where the Swedish fairy tale ends
Chelsea dominated the group stage, winning all six matches to finish comfortably top, four points ahead of their nearest rivals. Boasting the tournament’s most potent attack and a defence matched by no other, they looked formidable early on.
However, FC Copenhagen proved a stubborn challenge in the round of 16, pushing the Blues before eventually falling 3-1 on aggregate. In the quarter-finals, Chelsea dismantled Legia Warsaw 3-0 away in the first leg, only to suffer a surprising 2-1 defeat at home. Despite the unexpected setback, they progressed to the semi-finals — though their momentum was slightly dampened.
Before the defeat to Legia, Chelsea were on a 9-match winning streak in the tournament. But every cloud has a silver lining — the clash with the Polish side saw the emergence of Jadon Sancho. His performance across both legs has been instrumental for Chelsea, especially his growing impact in playmaking. With 5 assists, he stands as:
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Joint-second in the tournament for assists (tied with Tokmac Nguen of Ferencváros),
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Trailing only Svit Sešlar of Celje, who leads the chart.
With odds like the ones on Chelsea reaching the final, bookmakers usually don’t get it wrong. Even last year, when Olympiacos pulled off a shock win against Aston Villa as clear underdogs, the odds on the English side weren’t nearly as short.
Djurgården are making their debut in the semi-finals of European competitions. Naturally, they’re putting on a brave face. For example, Japan U21 international Kosugi had this to say:
Once again, Djurgården bounced back from a first-leg loss, this time overturning the deficit with a dramatic 4-1 extra-time win over SK Rapid in Vienna. Brilliant goals from Keita Kosugi and Tobias Gulliksen turned the tide, but coach Jani Honkavaara praised his side’s composure, especially after Rapid went down to ten men early on.
For the sake of fairness, it’s worth noting that the Swedes are in 6th place for goals scored, ahead of teams like Betis. However, they haven’t faced opponents of Chelsea's caliber yet.
Real Betis vs Fiorentina: The Viola are only nominal underdogs
After a shaky group stage that saw them finish 15th with just three wins, the Spanish team turned things around in the knockouts, displaying disciplined and resilient football. A key factor in their resurgence has been the remarkable transformation of Antony — once ridiculed during his time at Manchester United, he’s now barely recognisable, playing with confidence and flair.
Pellegrini’s men are seen as slight favourites heading into the tie. Adding to their confidence, Real Betis are unbeaten in their last five European encounters with Italian sides, recording three wins and two draws.
A major factor in their hopes will be Cédric Bakambu, the DR Congo striker who’s already netted seven times in this Conference League run — a tally surpassed only by Afimico Pululu of Jagiellonia, who are no longer in the competition.
There’s still a strong case to be made for backing the Italians. Fiorentina had a solid group stage, finishing third overall with four wins in six and just a single loss. This marks their third straight appearance in the Conference League semi-finals — and they’ve advanced to the final on both previous occasions.
Statistically, the Viola rank second in the tournament for goals scored (27) and fourth for possession (54.9%), underscoring their attacking intent and control in matches.
However, one red flag remains: Fiorentina have managed just two wins in 14 UEFA matches against Spanish opponents (4 draws, 8 losses).
Conference League Winner Odds
For Chelsea, it hardly matters who they face in the final — just remember this: since 2012, every time Chelsea have reached a final, they’ve ended up lifting the trophy.
Napoli
Cagliari
Como 1907
Inter Milan
Real Betis
Valencia
Real Madrid
Real Sociedad
Bologna
Genoa
