Conference League Final: Supercomputer Predicts Chelsea vs Real Betis Showdown
- Opta's supercomputer has predicted the UEFA Conference League final, pitting Chelsea and La Liga side Real Betis
- The Blues have secured Champions League football and want to end a tough season with silverware
- Betis have had a difficult run to the final and have a chance to lift their second trophy since the 2022 Copa del Rey
Opta's supercomputer has predicted the UEFA Conference League champion; Chelsea and Real Betis will battle for the trophy at the Tarczyński Arena in Wrocław, Poland.
Source: Getty Images
Supercomputer predicts Conference League final
The Blues are brimming with confidence after qualifying for the Champions League and have a chance to cap the season with a trophy.
Opta's supercomputer has given the Blues a 51.1% chance of winning the game inside 90 minutes. Betis have a 25.4% chance. There's also a 23.5% chance of the game needing extra time and potential penalties.
Betis are playing in their first major European final, and they last lifted a trophy in 2022. They beat Valencia in the final to win the Copa del Rey.
Antony's arrival in January from Manchester United has helped Betis go on a good run in the Conference League and could be key in the final.
How Chelsea and Betis reached Conference League final
The Blues have won 11 out of their 12 Conference League matches this season. Their only loss came in the second leg of the quarter-final against Legia Warszawa.
They eliminated FC Copenhagen in the round of 16, Legia Warszawa in the quarter-final and Djurgarden in the semi-final.
Source: Getty Images
Betis, on the other hand, finished 15th in the league phase but recovered well to reach the final. They beat KAA Gent, Vitoria Guimaraes, Jagiellonia, and Fiorentina in the knockout stage.
They finished sixth in the just-concluded La Liga season and will play Europa League football next season.
What Pellegrini and Maresca said
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca will be in charge next season after coming under pressure in the last few months.
"The Conference is important. For us it's been important since day one...need to try to win that. If we are able to win, I think it's a good thing. Especially because we continue to build the winner mentality," Maresca said via Football London.
'We have won many games this season, but it’s not enough. Sunday’s game is finished, and we are all happy, but tomorrow we must show the desire to win the game.
Pellegrini, who won the Premier League with Manchester City, said they can beat Chelsea.
"I don’t think it's David v Goliath - we've got the same chance as they do of winning the title," Pellegrini told a press conference. "The emotional side has to be controlled because one mistake can be costly. If we play them as equals, we have a chance to win. We mustn’t make errors through over-motivation."
AS Roma, West Ham United, and Olympiacos have won the past three editions.
How much Chelsea will get if they win the Conference League
Winning any European tournament comes with more than just a trophy—there's a significant financial reward.
If Enzo Maresca and his Chelsea squad lift the UEFA Conference League title, they stand to earn a substantial amount in prize money.
As reported by Football London, UEFA has announced that a total of €3.317 billion (approximately KSh 471.6 billion) will be shared among clubs participating in European competitions this season.
Of this amount, about €285 million (around KSh 40.5 billion) is allocated to teams in the UEFA Conference League.
"I am not focused on winning this competition or trophy because my name will be there. For sure, I will be happy if we win, but I will be happy for the club and the fans, and because we can become the first club to win every European competition," said Maresca.
Antony recalls Man United struggles
Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported on Antony's challenges at Manchester United before his move to Real Betis.
The Brazilian said he went days without eating when things got tougher at Old Trafford.
Antony is Man United's second-most expensive player and struggled to live up to the price tag at the club.
Martin Moses, the head of department for sports, contributed to this article by adding details about the Conference League prize money.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
