Betis vs Chelsea prediction, probable line-ups and H2H - 28 May 2025
On May 28, 2025, the Conference League final will take place at the Wroclaw City Stadium, featuring Spain’s Betis and England’s Chelsea. Here’s our pick for which side will lift the trophy.
Preview
Even before the tournament kicked off, Betis and Chelsea were widely tipped as the main favorites to go all the way. Both boasted deep squads, international pedigree, and managers with tactical acumen and genuine charisma—qualities that set them apart from the rest. Fiorentina, who had lost back-to-back finals, were also among the contenders, but failed to reach the decider this time. Their run ended at the hands of Betis, who overcame the Italians in the semifinals.
Few may recall, but the paths of the two head coaches, Pellegrini and Maresca, have crossed twice before. In the 2011/12 season, Pellegrini was managing Malaga, where an experienced Enzo Maresca played in midfield. That campaign turned out to be historic for the club—the Anchovies finished in La Liga’s top four and qualified for the Champions League. Seven years later, in 2018/19, Maresca joined Pellegrini’s coaching staff at West Ham to gain practical experience. The relationship between the two remains warm to this day. After the playoff draw, Pellegrini smiled as he messaged Maresca: “I told Enzo, since we’re on opposite sides of the bracket, we’ll meet in the final.” And he was right.
Betis, who finished 15th in the league phase, started their playoff journey from the round of 32. Pellegrini’s side confidently dispatched Gent, Vitoria Guimaraes, Jagiellonia, and then overcame a resilient Fiorentina in the semis. Chelsea, meanwhile, topped their group and entered one round later, cruising past Copenhagen, Legia, and Djurgarden without much trouble.
Heading into this head-to-head, Chelsea and Betis arrive with completely contrasting emotional backdrops. Chelsea, just days ago, clinched a long-awaited Champions League berth by edging Nottingham Forest 1-0 away in the final Premier League round. After two years out of the competition—marked by crises, managerial changes, and a club rebuild—the Blues are back among the elite. This result boosts team morale and further enhances Maresca’s reputation as a manager who has revived the club in just one season domestically.
Betis, in contrast, endured a nervier finish to their La Liga campaign. Manuel Pellegrini’s men fought for fifth place for a long stretch, but a four-match winless run (just 3 points from 12) dashed their top-five hopes. Meanwhile, direct rivals Villarreal produced a flawless finish, winning their last six matches. Ultimately, Betis fell out of Champions League contention. Nevertheless, securing a Europa League spot for next season is still an achievement given the fierce competition in La Liga.
We’ve already witnessed one European final this season—and let’s be honest, unless you’re a Tottenham fan, it probably didn’t get your pulse racing. Let’s hope the final in Wroclaw delivers something different: drama, high-quality football, and moments that will truly stick in the memory.
Probable line-ups
- Betis: Adrian, Ruibal, Bartra, Natan, Rodriguez, Altamira, Fornals, Antony, Isco, Abde, Bakambu
- Chelsea: Jorgensen, James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Neto, Palmer, Sancho, Jackson
Match facts and H2H
- In Betis’s last 11 matches, the “both teams to score” bet has come in—Pellegrini’s side consistently creates and concedes chances.
- Chelsea, on the other hand, boast the opposite trend: in their last four matches, “both teams to score” has not landed. The Londoners have tightened up defensively at the business end of the season.
- Betis are winless in five straight matches—a streak that impacted their final league standing.
- Chelsea have won 11 of their 12 Conference League games. Their only defeat came in the quarter-final second leg against Legia (1-2), but it had no effect on the aggregate outcome.
- The sides have met before in European competition—in the 2005/06 Champions League group stage. Each won at home: Betis 1-0, Chelsea a commanding 4-0.
Prediction
Betis have been leaking goals lately and haven’t kept a clean sheet for some time. Chelsea, in contrast, have built their success on defensive solidity and pragmatism. Rainy weather in Poland could favor the Brits, but the key factor remains the class and form of Maresca’s team. Our pick: Chelsea to win at 1.85.
