Conference League Final: 6 Key Players To Look Out For

Tomorrow night, the winner of the second of the three European club competitions will be decided in Wroclaw, western Poland. The final pits Real Betis, sixth in Spain’s La Liga, against Chelsea, fourth in the English Premier League. On paper, Chelsea are the overwhelming favorites in the Conference League given their history in Europe’s bigger club competitions. They’ve won the Champions League and the Europa League twice before. Let’s not even compare the clubs’ transfer budgets.

But Betis have also enjoyed a decent season, anchored around the creative talents of ex-Real Madrid Midfielder Isco. And the arrival of South American forwards Antony and Cucho Hernández has given the Seville club’s attack much more bite. Here are the six key players we expect to decide this Conference League final. 

Isco

The 33-year-old has been on another level this season, using a lethal mix of flair and quick thinking to unlock defenses. He’s never been known to be the fastest on the park, but defenders who underestimate him do so at their peril. Isco leads Betis in goals and assists. Over and above his goal contributions, the Verdiblancos captain provides on-field leadership reminiscent of legend Joaquín. His influence has undoubtedly helped bring out the best in newcomers Antony and Cucho.    

Abde Ezzalzouli

The young Moroccan arrived from Barcelona B last season for little more than a song. To be fair, he’s not set Spain’s elite football division alight. But he’s proved his worth in the Conference League, scoring two of the four goals that booked Betis a ticket to Wroclaw. In Reece James, he’ll be up against an experienced defender who seems to be returning to his best. However, if coach Manuel Pellegrini retains the 4-2-3-1 formation, he’ll have some space to attack. Béticos will be counting on him to maintain his European scoring streak. 

Antony

Exchanging rainy Manchester for the sunnier climes of southern Spain seems to have revitalized the Brazilian. When he arrived in Seville, he had zero goal contributions to show for his four months at Old Trafford since the beginning of the season. In the same period with Betis, he’s scored five goals and set up two others. Like Ezzalzouli, Antony scored in both legs of the semi against Fiorentina. He also scored a beauty over the weekend against Valencia. Will he be able to carry his scoring streak into the final against Premier League opposition?   

Cole Palmer

After starting with a flurry of goals, the ex-Manchester City midfielder has ended the season on a rather subdued note. But the same can be said of Chelsea’s other regular attacking players. You have to go back to the beginning of the month to find the last goal any of them scored from open play. And that was against Swedish minnows Djurgården in the first leg of their Conference League semifinals. 

Blues fans will be hoping Palmer can rediscover his early-season form in Poland. All he needs is a moment of magic- a deft flick, an undetected run, a drop of the shoulder- to turn the tide in Chelsea’s favor in the Conference League.

Moisés Caicedo

If there’s a man capable of stifling the threat posed by Isco and Co., it’s the tireless Ecuadorian. If Maresca does the smart thing and assigns him to man-mark the Betis number 22, that will be the game half won. Depending on how well he coordinates with box-to-box midfielder Enzo Fernández, Chelsea’s 18-yard box can become a no-go zone. Stopping Betis attacks before they get that far will help protect the Blues’ shaky backline from undue exposure in the Conference League.

None of Maresca’s central defensive pairings has been convincing, especially with Wesley Fofana proving impossible to keep fit. The number of chances gifted to the toothless Chris Wood on Sunday is an indicator of how much ground Caicedo will need to cover tomorrow night in the Conference League.

Marc Cucurella

In a topsy-turvy season for Chelsea, the Blues number 3 has been one of the more consistent performers. His defensive solidity was epitomized by his effective performance against the pacy Anthony Elanga in Sunday’s season closer. This is not to say ‘Cucu’ was flawless, the Forest winger did escape his attentions on a few occasions. But he’s the most dependable cog in a dodgy, leaky rearguard. 

And in a season where the forwards have proven goal-shy, the full-back’s contributions in attack have been crucial. He was involved in the scrappy Levi Colwill goal that guaranteed Chelsea Champions League football. Cucurella has taken well to the inverted full-back role, and his forward surges have seen him rack up five goals. Should Palmer and Co. continue their goalscoring duck, Blues fans will look to the Spaniard to make the Betis net bulge. 

Who Else Could Decide the Conference League?

Of course, these six players are not the only ones capable of deciding the Conference League final. Betis fans might be flummoxed at Cucho Hernández’s absence from this list, given how effectively the Colombian has been spearheading their attack. Noni Madueke has been the bright spark in a bland Chelsea front four. Perhaps he’s also worthy of a mention. Make your list of six and let’s compare notes at the end of the game.