Halfway through the second half at the City Ground, it would have required more than a miracle to prevent this from happening.
Chelsea
a
Champions League
return, but several.
They led, through
Levi Colwill
’s late strike, scored against a Nottingham Forest team who were part of a group of leading five teams, with Aston Villa and Newcastle, two of the remaining sides, finishing behind in their respective last matches.
Nevertheless, the whole Chelsea forward line was substituted, every player replaced by a more defensively inclined teammate aiming to see out the match. As we reached stoppage time,
Enzo Maresca
continued his sideline commentary despite the final whistles being blown at other matches. The Italian remained vigilant and cautious, and honestly, one could see where he was coming from.
Returning to the Champions League so soon into his time as Chelsea’s manager could bring about significant changes. This applies not just to a coach who hasn’t always won over the club’s fans during their initial year together, but possibly also to a strategy and direction that, under three years of guidance, has frequently fallen short of expectations.
Is Chelsea making a comeback? This has been the recurring debate this season, and honestly, they aren’t quite there yet. However, for the first time in several years, there is solid evidence of progress heading in the right direction.
This was meant to be the game that would carry the load during a boring match.
Premier League
The concluding day didn’t offer as much excitement as expected, overshadowed by unexpected scores happening around and aChelsea maintaining a comfortable distance fromForest afterColwell scored in the 50th minute. Despite the enthusiasm at theCityGround, the home side appeared drained, exemplifiedbyChrisWoodmissing clearcut opportunitiesinbothhalves;opportunitiesthatheusedtosuccessfullyseveralmonthsback.
Certainly, there isn’t much romance in Chelsea acquiring this position at the cost of one of the year’s unexpected success tales. In fact, during a campaign where the usual order was disrupted for an extended period—where not just Nottingham Forest but also Bournemouth, Fulham, and Brighton were envisioning themselves playing UEFA Champions League Football—the conclusion seems somewhat unremarkable.
The leading quartet in English football consists of what was once known as the Big Six, excluding two teams that had notably disappointing seasons. Regardless, one of these underperforming sides might still qualify for the Champions League. Additionally, due to the Premier League’s influence, Newcastle United—a club backed by state ownership—will also secure a spot in this prestigious tournament, even after suffering an unexpected loss against Everton on the last matchday.
But none of that is Chelsea’s fault and this squad, however expensively assembled, is still the youngest in the Premier League. Maresca conceded on the eve of this match that his players were under greater pressure than Forest’s and that for some this would be the biggest match of their lives.
This isn’t the Chelsea we used to know, the team graced by a winning trio of Terry, Lampard, and Drogba. Despite coach Maresca’s frequent reminders sounding monotonous now, this current version seems to be progressing faster than many of us anticipated at the start of the season.
Before this match, they had only managed one victory in their previous ten away league games, with their nearest result to home being that win against Fulham last month. Could you truly rely on them to deliver under such intense conditions?
Yet, accomplish it they did, much like they managed against Manchester United last Friday evening despite not performing at their best. Similarly, this resolve was evident in their encounters with a hungover Liverpool and tenacious Everton prior to that. Following Christmas, their play wasn’t often dazzling; however, after their championship aspirations diminished early in the new year and shifted towards securing a spot within the top five, they demonstrated sufficient resilience to ensure the downward spiral stopped right there.
For the team playing at their own ground, this match presented a peculiar mix of events. While they were celebrating the title they had secured, with a banner at one end proclaiming “Destination: Europe”, it seemed somewhat ironic. The exact destination didn’t matter much for a club that had experienced descending into the third division before returning and hadn’t played European football in years anyway.
And still, evidently, there was much more at stake—a chance to make their return to Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 1980, when they last qualified as title holders.
In contrast, for Chelsea, only winning the Champions League would truly suffice, particularly since Wednesday evening’s Conference League final against Real Betis could serve as a backup plan to secure entry into the Europa League if needed.
The finale in Wrocław presents an opportunity for Maresca to cap off his achievements with a significant title, adding a premier accolade – regardless of its novelty – to his resume and confirming that this remains the sole English club to have accomplished every possible victory.
Strangely enough, it could be simpler for Chelsea to accept Europe’s third-tier trophy sincerely at this point, realizing they will return to their rightful place next season.
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