Chelsea’s only remaining chance at winning a trophy this season comes with the Conference League final set to take place next week.
The Blues have been largely untested in the competition so far, only being defeated once in what turned out to be a meaningless game against Legia Warsaw.
Enzo Maresca has used the Conference League as an opportunity to give some of the academy players at the club their chance to impress.
Kiano Dyer, Shumaira Mheuka and Samuel Rak-Sakyi have all made their debuts in the competition, however will likely be overlooked when it comes to the squad for the final.
The Blues will face their biggest test so far in Europe this season when they meet Real Betis in the final, with the La Liga side enjoying a sensational campaign since the arrival of Manchester United loanee Antony in January.
Real Betis handed major boost ahead of Conference League final vs Chelsea
Maresca’s side will be in action just four days before the final in Poland in the crucial Premier League game against Nottingham Forest, with a place in next season’s Champions League up for grabs.
This is far from ideal for the Italian, especially now it has emerged that Betis have had their final league game of the season moved to Friday, given them two extra days preparation on their opponents.
Moving fixtures to prioritise European competitions is normal in leagues outside of England. PSG were handed that treatment on their way to beating Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals.
Chelsea fitness update ahead of Conference League final
One of the biggest issues Maresca has ahead of the final Premier League game of the season is the lack of a recognised striker. Nicolas Jackson will be unavailable due to suspension.
While the boss is sweating on Marc Guiu and Christopher Nkunku’s fitness, Jackson will be eligible to feature against Betis.
Both forwards are expected to be fit to feature against Forest, meaning the pair would be available to the manager for the final.
They have found the majority of their success in this competition, combining for 11 goals throughout the campaign.
