Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has been speaking about opposite number Enzo Maresca ahead of his side’s Conference League final against Chelsea.
Chelsea and Real Betis will contest the final of the Conference League next week in Wroclaw, Poland.
Real Betis have an advantage over Chelsea because they will have a couple of extra days to prepare for Wednesday’s cup final. They face Valencia on Friday night in La Liga, while the Blues play Sunday afternoon against Nottingham Forest on the final day of the Premier League.
Blues head coach Enzo Maresca can make it a strong debut season in charge of the club if his team wins their next two matches. It’s the opportunity to secure Champions League qualification with a top-five finish and to win European silverware.
Chelsea plan to keep Enzo Maresca even if they don’t qualify for the Champions League, but it could be quite a toxic reaction from the supporters if the next week goes badly on the football pitch.
Manuel Pellegrini predicts big things for Enzo Maresca
An interesting subplot to the Conference League final is the battle in the manager’s dugout.
Maresca previously played under Pellegrini before then working as his assistant coach at West Ham. Now, they’re about to try to outwit each other in a European final.
The Betis manager has predicted that Maresca will enjoy huge success in management, claiming he’s already shown great quality on the touchline as a coach.
Pellegrini said via Marca: “My words about Enzo are only positive. I was fortunate to manage him as a player in the final years of his career. Later he worked with me at West Ham.
“He is a manager who is going to have a great career, in fact he is already having one. He has done important things, getting promoted at Leicester and at Chelsea he shows his ability. He always has the intention of studying, of learning, he is a manager with a great future and with a present in which he is demonstrating his ability.”
| Club | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Chelsea | 55 | 33 | 9 | 13 |
| Leicester City | 53 | 36 | 4 | 13 |
| Parma | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Of course, Chelsea’s attention right now is on the Premier League showdown against Forest. The majority of supporters will agree that qualifying for the Champions League is more important than winning the Conference League.
However, once the final against Betis comes around, we’re sure the players will be desperate to finish the season with a trophy.
It’s been confirmed that Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen will start against Real Betis after playing an important role in the tournament.
Chelsea aim to join several Premier League clubs to win silverware this season
It would be a great way for Chelsea to finish the 2024/25 season by joining the list of Premier League clubs to win a trophy already in 2025.
- Liverpool (Premier League)
- Newcastle United (Carabao Cup)
- Crystal Palace (FA Cup)
- Tottenham (Europa League)
The Blues have been favourites for the Conference League since the beginning of the tournament, but they deserve credit for easing their way to the final. Even though it wouldn’t be the most glamorous piece of silverware in the club’s trophy cabinet, it would complete the European set.
Simon Jordan claims Chelsea have no excuses in the Conference League not to win it despite complaints about having less time than Betis to prepare.
