FOOTBALL – Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says tonight’s Conference League final against Real Betis is a chance to make history, reinforce a winning mentality and prove his young side belong at the top.
Chelsea finished fourth in the Premier League on Sunday to qualify for the Champions League, which they have won twice along with two Europa League trophies, raising questions about where the Conference League stands in their list of priorities.
“The Conference is important. For us it’s been important since day one. And the reason why is because it’s the European competition that we are currently in,” Maresca told reporters yesterday.
“... also because Chelsea can become the first club in Europe to win all the European competitions.
“If we are able to win, I think it’s a good thing because we continue to build the winning mentality.”
Maresca added that his side have proved themselves this season, with a final victory set to confirm their progress.
“Every game is a chance to show we have improved and that we want to win titles,” he said. “We are the youngest squad in the history of the Premier League, but also they are men. We are mature enough, and we can compete.”
Chelsea have had little time to prepare for the final but Maresca insisted their focus had never slipped.
“The message in the last 48 hours has been, we did something important (by qualifying for the Champions League). But if we want to confirm we’re becoming an important club, we need to show the desire to win the title and to win the game,” he added.
Meanwhile, Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has downplayed any suggestion that his side are big underdogs in tonight’s final against European heavyweights Chelsea.
Betis, who are playing in their first European final, face a side who have won two Champions League titles, two Europa League trophies and six English league crowns, but Pellegrini believes his team have just as much chance of lifting the trophy.
“I don’t think it’s David v Goliath - we’ve got the same chance as they do of winning the title,” Pellegrini told reporters yesterday.
“The emotional side has to be controlled because one mistake can be costly. If we play them as equals, we have a chance to win. We mustn’t make errors through over-motivation.”
Earlier this month, Chelsea manager Maresca expressed his displeasure after LaLiga approved a request from Betis to push their final LaLiga match forward two days, giving them more time to prepare for the final, and Pellegrini was sympathetic.
“I read what Enzo said and I completely agree, not just about Betis vs Chelsea but in football in general - you can’t give any rival an advantage,” Pellegrini said.
He was also asked about his starting team for the final after he rotated players for LaLiga and Europa League matches.
“I think one of the important things has been making rotations in both competitions. It allowed us to qualify for Europe and reach the final,” he said.
“Tomorrow is different - we’ve had enough rest, it’s the last match of the season, and everyone will try to field their best eleven to win.”
The final caps off a strong season for the Seville-based side, who finished sixth in LaLiga and are guaranteed a place in next season’s Europa League regardless of Wednesday’s result.
“It’s been a year-long effort to qualify for Europe with four games to spare, and we’ve had the ability to reach this final. It’s Betis’ first international final, and we feel confident.”
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