Maresca: Conference League win is a starting point for Chelsea

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has praised his players for showing great team spirit following their 4-1 victory over Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday.

The Italian emphasized that winning the tournament represented a big step in the team's development. "It can be a starting point for us. To build a winning mentality you need to win games and competitions. The trophy we won tonight is going to make us better in the future," he said.

Chelsea became the first club to win all four major UEFA competitions - Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, and the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup - and the FIFA Club World Cup after defeating the Spanish side in Wroclaw, Poland.

Trailing 1-0 until the 65th minute, Maresca's side scored four goals without reply, with midfielder Cole Palmer leading the Blues to victory with two assists in five minutes.

"We picked up the intensity and put in a good performance in the second half. I was sick of getting the ball and just going backwards and sideways. For the first assist there was a bit of space, and I saw Enzo Fernandez running. The second was the same," said Palmer, who was named Player of the Match.

Wednesday's win gave Chelsea double cause for celebration after the Blues had secured Champions League qualification by finishing fourth in the Premier League, thanks to a vital 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest in the season's final matchday on Sunday.

"It's a good feeling for us and the fans. We've shown on Sunday that we can go to a tough place and win. On Wednesday we were losing, but I feel like we showed good character again to make the comeback," Palmer added.

Maresca hailed the attitude of his team, especially the players who had been substituted against Betis.

"The best picture for me tonight is that when we scored, the first two guys to celebrate were Malo Gusto and Benoit Badiashile. They were the two players we changed. They enjoyed the celebrations and that means a lot. It means the spirit is good and everyone is helping each other," Maresca said.