Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Conference League match.
The second European final of the season takes place in Wrocław, Poland, as the Conference League reaches its conclusion. Chelsea are considered slight favourites, but Real Betis are firmly in contention.
Real Betis
Real Betis faced their toughest challenge en route to the final in the semi-finals against Fiorentina, a team of comparable quality. The tie was finely balanced, with both teams securing 2:1 home wins. The match went to extra time, where Real Betis found their breakthrough thanks to substitute Abdelkrim Ezzalzouli, who came on after the break. The Moroccan forward’s decisive goal booked Real Betis a place in what is their first ever European final.
Chelsea
For Chelsea, this marks their third European final in the past seven years. In the 2018/19 season, Chelsea defeated Arsenal (4:1) in the UEFA Europa League final, and in 2021 the team went on to lift the Champions League trophy after edging past Manchester City (1:0). In this season’s Conference League campaign, Chelsea have suffered just one defeat—a 1:2 loss to Legia Warsaw—which came after their place in the knockout stages had already been secured with a 3:0 first-leg win.
Real Betis vs Chelsea Prediction
Real Betis will be without their first-choice centre-back for the final, as Diego Llorente remains unavailable. This is arguably Real Betis’s only major absentee. For over a month, Brazilian defender Natan Bernardo has filled the gap with a fair degree of reliability. In their current form, Real Betis are capable of testing their more illustrious opponents, and we expect them to avoid defeat in regulation time. Even if they do lose, it is likely to be by the slimmest of margins.
