Some things that Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca and co-owner Todd Boehly have said have not gone down well.
Boehly was recently criticised by Danny Murphy after complaining about fixture congestion.
With Chelsea choosing to compete at this year’s Club World Cup, the former Liverpool midfielder does not think Boehly is in a position to be talking.
As for Maresca, he is not happy about Real Betis’ last league game of the season being pushed back in order to give them more time to prepare for the Conference League final.
Simon Jordan not having Enzo Maresca’s Real Betis complaints
Thanks to La Liga’s willingness to let them play on Friday instead of Sunday, Betis could now have an advantage against Chelsea.
Simon Jordan, though, does not think that matters and believes Maresca and his side should be winning the game regardless.
He criticised the Chelsea boss on talkSPORT, saying: “Maybe if you got the job done, you could have put the reserves out [this weekend], so pack it in. I mean, the bottom line is you’re playing in the pub Conference League. You should be able to win it anyway. I know Betis will be more formidable opposition than you’ve had previously.”
Maresca told BBC Sport and others that he is not happy with the decision to allow Betis to play earlier, but there is not much the Italian can do.
He still has to worry about Chelsea’s final Premier League game of the campaign against Nottingham Forest as well, which is arguably a more important fixture.
Lose that, and Champions League football will not be returning to Stamford Bridge next term.
Joe Cole’s Conference League final prediction
Like Jordan, many are expecting Chelsea to beat Betis next Wednesday, including club legend Joe Cole.
They have been the clear favourites since the tournament started, and Cole has now predicted Chelsea to win. Ahead of the showdown in Poland, he said: “Chelsea, 2-1, but I think it’ll be a tight game.”
It would be Chelsea’s first piece of silverware since the club were taken over by Boehly and Behdad Eghbali. They have not won anything since 2022 when Thomas Tuchel’s side got their hands on the old Club World Cup.
If Chelsea can win the Conference League and qualify for the Champions League, the owners are likely to be very happy men.
