More stories

  • in

    Betis vs Chelsea: Get £30 in free bets and £10 casino bonus with BoyleSports, plus 50% Conference League final boost

    CHELSEA have been warm favourites for Conference League glory this season and head into Wednesday’s final with Betis in fine fettle. And punters who register an account with BoyleSports and stake a tenner on the European showdown will be rewarded with £30 in football free bets plus an extra £10 casino bonus!BoyleSports are also offering customers a whopping extra 50% boost on their Bet Builder winnings!Betis vs Chelsea: £30 in free bets & £10 casino bonus HERE*Get extra 50% boost on Bet Builder winnings HEREFind The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim…BoyleSports offerVisit the BoyleSports website HERE*Register a new account and depositPlace a qualifying bet of £10 or more at odds of Evens or greaterRemember, your qualifying bet must be placed within 30 days of account openingOnce that’s settled, you will receive £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonusBoyleSports: Get £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus HERE*New to BoyleSports? Good news – you can claim their Europa League final offer!Simply visit the BoyleSports website HERE* and register for your brand new account.Deposit at least £10 and then place a tenner or more on any football betting market with BoyleSports at odds of Evens or greater.Once that’s settled, you will receive £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus!You will also be eligible for BoyleSports’ amazing special for the European final in Poland!They are offering all customers an extra 50% on their Bet Builder winnings which you can claim HERE*.BoyleSports: Get £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus HERE**18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. £40 in FREE Bets (FB) as £30 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7-day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Account & Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept £10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable £100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. 18+. Online only. Min Odds of (3/1). Max stake 20. One bet per customer. 50% Boost. Boost will be added once all selections have settled. Max boost payout £/€1,000. Offer does not apply to multiple bets. Free/void/cashed out bets won’t qualify. T&Cs apply.Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamcare – gamcare.org.ukGambleAware – GambleAware.orgRead our guide on responsible gambling practices.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. More

  • in

    Chelsea files: Enzo Maresca and Cole Palmer’s bonus woes and fans’ Conference League final travel chaos

    ENZO MARESCA will not get a bonus if he wins Chelsea the Conference League tonight.The Blues boss is looking to cap Champions League qualification by lifting a European trophy in Poland – but it will not earn him any extra cash.Enzo Maresca will not get a bonus if Chelsea win the Conference LeagueCredit: GettyWhen Maresca agreed to take over at Stamford Bridge last summer, the bonuses included in his five-year deal showed the real ambitions at Chelsea.The Italian will only be rewarded personally for success in the Premier League and Champions League during his time in west London.While everyone at Chelsea will have wanted to win the Conference League this season – having started as clear favourites – a top five finish was far more important for the club’s long-term future.And Maresca has argued that he is ahead of schedule in delivering it, stating the owners wanted to qualify for Europe’s top competition within two years of his arrival from Leicester.Player bonuses, however, are negotiated on a season-by-season basis and the Blues squad are in for a reward if they triumph over Real Betis in Wroclaw.The size of the bonus for each player will depend on how many appearances have been made throughout the competition.So if Cole Palmer – who was not even in the squad for the group stage – starts against Betis he will still earn less than some of those fringe players who did all the hard work early on.Chelsea would become the first ever club to win all three of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League should they get past Manuel Pellegrini’s men.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSPLAYING FOR KEEPSCHELSEA are confident they will not have to fight off West Ham for goalkeeping chief Ben Roberts this summer.Former Blues boss Graham Potter is making his mark in East London and has decided to move goalkeeper coach Xavi Valero on.Potter has already hired close pal Kyle Macaulay from his role at Stamford Bridge and appointed him as head of recruitment at the London Stadium.Roberts followed Potter from Brighton to Chelsea as one of his coaching staff but has since been given a role as global head of goalkeeping across both of BlueCo’s clubs.While West Ham are in the market for a new coach, there is no concern at Chelsea over losing Roberts this summer.Chelsea’s goalkeeping chief Ben RobertsCredit: Chelsea AN GUARD TODD BOEHLY has personally stamped on the fingers of any team trying to swoop for Andrey Santos in the summer transfer market, with PSG, Arsenal and Crystal Palace all reportedly keen. The Chelsea midfielder, who spent this season on loan at BlueCo-owned RC Strasbourg, helped the French side secure Conference League football for next year with 10 goals and 3 assists in Ligue 1. The Stamford Bridge outfit picked up Santos for just £18m two years ago. Still, with Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez all looking to be starters for Enzo Maresca next season, the Brazilian has been linked with a big-money move away. Having watched him closely this season, and in person, that would be a big mistake.London rivals Arsenal and Champions League finalists PSG were two teams circling the midfielder, but Todd Boehly seems to have warned them away as he spoke at the Qatar Economic Forum last week. He said “We are laser-focused on the Club World Cup. We have some players that are joining us, [like] Andrey Santos. We are really excited about him and what he can add to the squad.”A personal name-dropping of the midfielder speaks volumes of the value he presents to the Blues, and he should expect to be a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans beyond the summer tournament.Andrey Santos is due to return to Chelsea next seasonCredit: GettyWHEN THERE’S A WILLLAMINE YAMAL has set the footballing world alight this season. A left-footed, right-wing Barcelona prodigy who just happened to be bathed by Lionel Messi in a kind of ‘footballing baptism’ and has already helped carry his side to a league title at the age of 17 – it’s easy to see why he’s viewed by many as the heir to Messi’s throne. Part of what made football so incredibly good for the past 20 years, was that we had an individual rivalry in Ronaldo vs Messi that provided constant debate and discussion as for who was the best in the world.Many thought that kind of rivalry that might be revived with Erling Haaland vs Kylian Mbappe, but it may actually be Lamine Yamal vs a Chelsea starlet waiting to explode – Estevao Willian. Both seem to have been crafted by the footballing gods in the mould of Lionel Messi, but idolise and bring all the flair and skill which Neymar did in his time at Barcelona. Estevao was signed for £28million by Chelsea last summer, with the move set to be finalised this summer ahead of a transition into the Blues’ first team next campaign. The wonderkid has played predominantly on the right in Brazil, but can also play through the middle and on the left – the kind of versatility Enzo Maresca will adore. Coincidentally nicknamed ‘Messinho’, he has broken all sorts of records set by Neymar in Brazil, and is more than ready to step up and take some pressure off of the shoulders of Cole Palmer. Be patient Chelsea fans, your Lamine Yamal awaits…Estevao Willian is a superstar in the makingCredit: AlamyMARESCA’S YOUNG GUNSAFTER Chelsea’s lineup vs Nottingham Forest was announced, it was official… The class of 24/25 became the youngest team in Premier League history. The average age of Enzo Maresca’s starting eleven’s over the course of the season was 24 years and 36 days – beating the previous record of Leeds United by 136 days.Inexperience has been richly discussed among Blues’ fans since Todd Boehly and his BlueCo consortium took control of the club, with the general consensus being that the team needs some sort of leadership outside of 27-year-old Tosin Adarabioyo, who has been nicknamed the ‘Uncle’ of the dressing room. It remains to be seen if BlueCo’s risky strategy of buying almost exclusively young talents will pay dividends in terms of trophies and on-pitch success, or if the Blues will splash some cash on an experienced defender and forward in a bid to bring a Premier League title back to Stamford Bridge – but if they don’t it may be a long wait until they see it. Chelsea’s class of 24/25 became the youngest team in Premier League historyCredit: GettyFIGHT OR FLIGHTMORE THAN 100 fans were set to board the 07:40am flight from Luton to Poznan this morning in the hope of arriving in Poland and exploring Wroclaw before Chelsea play the Conference League Final tomorrow. However, the WizzAir flight has left fans stranded in Luton with the flight has been delayed until 4pm UK time.A six-hour delay means that passengers will now arrive in Poznan around 7pm, before still needing to travel to Wroclaw where the final takes place – another 113 miles away. For fans who would’ve arrived at Luton airport around 5am, they now face a nightmare day of travel which could be as long as 17 hours. Not to mention fans will also face expenses such as missed trains, taxis, buses, late check-in fees, and paying ridiculous prices for airport meals with such a lengthy delay.It comes on the back of our story that hotels in Wroclaw have been finding crafty ways to suddenly and inexplicably increase their room rates for Chelsea fans who booked months ago in anticipation of their team reaching the final.Blues fans face travel chaos ahead of the Conference League finalCredit: GettyCUP FOR IT ENZO MARESCA will finally discover this weekend who he faces in the opening game of the new and expanded Club World Cup this summer.Club America play off against Los Angeles for the right to face Chelsea on June 16 in the first Group D fixture.The two teams have a chance to join the cream of Europe and South America after Club Leon were banned over multi-club ownership rules. They are stablemates with CF Pachuca and teams in the same groups cannot compete in the same tournament.The game takes place this Saturday – the same day as the Champions League Final – but Blues supporters can watch both with the CWC play off not starting until 7.30pm and that’s in California which is 3.30AM the following morning in London.Enzo Maresca discovers who he faces in the opening game of the Club World CupCredit: Getty More

  • in

    Betis vs Chelsea free bets: Bet £10 get £40 bonus on Conference League final with Betano

    CHELSEA go in search of European glory on Wednesday, when facing Betis in the Conference League final.Brand new Betano customers who sign-up and stake a tenner on any sports market, including the Polish showdown, will receive a whopping £40 in free bets and bonuses!Betano: Get £40 in free bets and bonuses HERE*How to claim..Betano welcome offerVisit the Betano website HERE*Sign-up for a new accountOpt in to this promotion via the Offers tab or Sign Up pageMake a minimum deposit of £10 to qualify for this promotionPlace your first bet of £10 or more on any football market at odds of Evens or greater within 3 days of account creationOn settlement of your qualifying bet, you will get £40 in free bets and bonusesBetano: Get £40 in free bets and bonuses HERE*No Betano account? No problem!Simply register an account with Betano HERE* and Opt in to this promotion via the Offers tab or Sign Up page.Make a minimum deposit of £10 to qualify for this promotion.Stake a tenner on any football market – including Betis vs Chelsea in the Conference final – at odds of Evens or greater.This must be done within three days of your account being created.Once that initial bet has settled – win or lose – you’ll receive the full £40 welcome bonus!Here’s what you get:On settlement of your qualifying bet, you will get the following Free Bets:A £10 Free Bet to be used on any Football Market;A £10 Free Bet to be used on any Football accumulator (3+ selections);24 hours after settlement of your qualifying bet, you will also receive:A £10 Free Bet to be used on any Football Market – correct score  A £10 Slots Bonus, to be used on any of games from the included list (see below)Betano: Get £40 in free bets and bonuses HERE**18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on football (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. Get 3x£10 Free Bets for set markets and a £10 Slots bonus on selected slots, 30x wagering, max redeem £250. Bonuses expire in 10 days. Scroll down for for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamcare – gamcare.org.ukGambleAware – GambleAware.orgRead our guide on responsible gambling practices.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. More

  • in

    Real Betis ‘change their badge’ for Conference League final against Chelsea due to incredible omen but fans won’t see it

    REAL BETIS have jokingly changed their badge for tomorrow’s Conference League final against Chelsea.The Spanish club are looking to defy the odds by winning their first-ever European trophy.Real Betis have changed their club badge ahead of the Conference League final against ChelseaThe Spaniards have added a BIRD to their crestCredit: X @RealBetis_enBetis are certainly up against it with Chelsea, who started the season as heavy favourites.Enzo Maresca’s £1billion squad have only lost once throughout the entire campaign.And many are expecting the Blues to finish the job in Warsaw on Wednesday evening.However, Betis are hoping that a change to their club badge could prove to be a lucky omen.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLManuel Pellegrini’s side jokingly revealed that they had replaced the middle of their crest with a BIRD for the one-off match.They said: “Presenting our badge for the Conference League final.”Adding a photo of Antony, who has starred on loan from Manchester United, Betis added: “Year of the Birds. Year of the GOAT.”But the image is not actually going to appear on Betis’ kit.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSAnd instead, the club were drawing inspiration from various cup winners this season, with many boasting a bird on their badge.Liverpool, who boast a Liver bird on their jersey, stormed to title glory in the Premier League.Inside Chelsea’s dressing room celebrations after Champions League spot securedCHELSEA VS REAL BETIS – CONFERENCE LEAGUE FINAL STREAM AND TV INFONewcastle, dubbed the Magpies for obvious reasons, collected their first-ever trophy in the Carabao Cup.While Crystal Palace, who feature an eagle on their crest, lifted the FA Cup against favourites Man City.Even Tottenham, who sport a cockerel, ended their silverware jinx with victory in the Europa League.And fans were quick to react to the banter online.One said: “That’s crazy.”Another declared: “Let’s go bird for bird.”Read More on The SunOne noted: “Might support Chelsea with this nonsense.”Another added: “Sensational.”Real Betis will be hoping on-loan Man Utd man Antony stars againCredit: Reuters More

  • in

    Referee who was hit with six-match ban this season named as official for Chelsea vs Real Betis Conference League final

    A REFEREE who was hit with a six-match ban this season will take charge of Chelsea’s Conference League final against Real Betis.Irfan Peljto will become the first Bosnian to officiate a major Uefa club competition final on Wednesday.Conference League final ref Irfan Peljto was banned for six matches earlier this seasonCredit: GettyThe clash sees Chelsea looking to become the first-ever club to win all three European titles.But Betis will prove to be their toughest test yet, with Premier League flops including Antony, Pablo Fornals and Gio Lo Celso shining under ex-Man City title winner Manuel Pellegrini.Enzo Maresca’s men will have to be at their best just days after securing Champions League football with a fourth-place domestic finish.However, their fate could end up in the hands of Peljto, who oversaw Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final first leg win over Real Madrid in April.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe 40-year-old is held in high regard by Uefa, having also taken charge of a further six Champions League matches and four Europa League clashes this term.However, back in his native Bosnia, Peljto was banned for six matches after overseeing an error-strewn game.He was found guilty of making three major mistakes, with two errors involving his failure to award clear penalties.September’s 1-1 derby draw between bitter rivals Zrinjski Mostar and Borac Banja caused plenty of controversy, with the Bosnian FA declaring both sides should have been awarded penalties on separate occasions.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSA damning statement declared: “In the 25th minute, the referee, although very well positioned and with a clear view of the incident, failed to recognise an obvious foul and award a penalty kick to FK Borac.”In the 26th minute, the referee, although well positioned, failed to award a direct free kick for the away team after a clear foul which led to a goal for the home team.Inside Chelsea’s dressing room celebrations after Champions League spot secured”In the 90th+5 minute, the referee failed to award a clear penalty kick for Zrinjski too.”Despite his previous ban, Peljto believes his selection for the Conference League final is a huge boost for Bosnian football.He told Uefa: “We are living a dream. To receive the call was very emotional. It’s an honour not only for my career, but to bring the flag of my small country under the European spotlight is a very proud moment.“I hope it is also a moment for the future of referees in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that young referees have this positive perspective on refereeing, and that we have created a path for them.” More

  • in

    I’m a LEGO nut and built Home Alone set at Christmas… here’s how I’ll celebrate Euro glory, says Chelsea’s Levi Colwill

    LEVI COLWILL will go from dreamland to LEGOLAND if he tops a sensational week with Chelsea by winning the Conference League.LEGO nut Colwill, 22, scored the only goal in Sunday’s win at Nottingham Forest to fire the Blues back into the Champions League.Levi Colwill will celebrate Champions League qualification with a trip to LEGOLANDCredit: RexThe defender loves lego and built a replica of the Home Alone houseCredit: The Mega AgencyAnd the England star says if they beat Real Betis tomorrow, he will treat himself to a trip to LEGOLAND in Windsor.Colwill said: “I’ll be there. I’ve not been for years.“I built the Home Alone set with the movie on in the background and time just flies. It was around Christmas time, so I got myself in the spirit.“It’s a big house. It took weeks. The detail they go into is crazy.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“You don’t see it when you just look at it but things open up. There’s a basement, there’s a lot to it.“I love it. I’ve built so many. It just takes your mind away from everything.“Last season, when I had a toe injury and was trying to play, there was a lot going on on the pitch.“I wasn’t happy with how I was playing, so I needed to take my mind off everything.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS“I saw a girl on TikTok building LEGO, so I wanted to get into it. It relaxed me and made me feel like stepping away from everything.“That’s what I needed at the time. It really helped me.”Levi Colwill SWEARS in live Sky Sports interview as Chelsea ace hits out at pundits after Champions League qualificationColwill added: “I’m a big kid. I’ve built five or six different things. They take time but I enjoy it.“Sadly, they all broke when I moved back from here to Southampton. So I built a lot last year, brought them back and they all broke. It’s a heartbreaking subject.“It’s really expensive. I’ve had a few presents. I’ve maybe bought three myself that were £200 each.“But my mum will buy me one for Christmas. People know I love it.”LEGOLAND Windsor is just 20 miles away from Chelsea’s Surrey training HQ at Cobham. First, Colwill and his team-mates head to Wroclaw in Poland today hoping to round off their season with silverware.Boss Enzo Maresca will rotate his players because Chelsea have had 48 hours less to prepare for the game than Spaniards Betis.Blues academy graduate Colwill said: “Every player on the team deserves to be playing in the Champions League,Read More on The Sun“They’re not just amazing players but they’ve worked so hard all season as a team for the fans to get to the Champions League.“No matter what competition it is, if we’re in it we want to win it. And we believe we can.” More

  • in

    Chelsea files: Why Cole Palmer will get SMALLER bonus than Blues team-mates for Conference League win

    MONEY TALKS and Chelsea is no different to any other Premier League club.The players will receive a bonus if they beat Real Betis next Wednesday and win the Conference League for the first time.Enzo Maresca leads his men into the Conference League final next weekCredit: ReutersCole Palmer will be available after sitting out the first portion of the tournamentCredit: PAThe payments have been set out on a sliding scale depending on appearances which means some of the top stars won’t be paid as much although they’ll hardly go hungry as a result.And as if we needed reminding of Chelsea’s priorities, if Champions League qualification is achieved at Nottingham Forest this Sunday then the players’ pay packets will be considerably more full.Cole Palmer was deliberately kept out of Chelsea’s Conference League squad for the first half of the campaign and so has made just five appearances in the competition this season.Keeper Filip Jorgensen, who has been confirmed as a starter in the final next week, has played 13 times in the tournament.DESPITE harbouring bigger ambitions than the Conference League, Chelsea fans are flocking to Poland in their thousands to lap up the final.The club’s official allocation of 12,300 tickets has been gobbled up.Blues supporters were understandably confident that their billion quid squad would reach the June 28 date in Wroclaw, so many booked hotels and flights weeks, sometimes months in advance.BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKIt’s common practice in the travel industry and can mean saving a decent whack of money by getting in early.But as is the case in this horrible old world, some of those loyal punters who took a punt on Chelsea going all the way, are now coming unstuck. Chelsea star Cole Palmer admits he threw up in the pool on holiday and got his hand stuck in a Pringles tubeWe have heard numerous worrying reports that a number of fans are receiving emails from hotels in the city, claiming there has been a ‘technical’ or ‘admin’ error with their initial reservation.And yes, you guessed it, those issues mean the prices of their accommodation has increased – sometimes tripling the original room rate.Fans are reluctant to name the hotels but some are fighting back. One supporter, who booked eight rooms in a 3* hotel has been told the cost is now three times what it was.But the person involved has since found a 5* place that is cheaper! He is keeping the first hotel hanging on and will cancel last minute in the hope they end up losing out altogether.Unfortunately, there is little the club can do to help frustrated fans.Todd Boehly is a director on ticket resale site Vivid SeatsCredit: AlamyAND right on time, Uefa has chosen this week to publish its latest call for fans to avoid ‘unofficial’ ticket agencies as next week’s final draws closer.The directive reads: “UEFA warns fans not to purchase tickets on the secondary market, from unauthorised third parties, websites, agencies or from touts. “Such tickets may be cancelled by UEFA at any time and fans are likely to be refused entry or be ejected from the stadium. In addition, fans may not receive the tickets which they have purchased from these unauthorised third parties.”UEFA reminds fans that ticket sales to the general public and fans of the teams who have reached the UEFA club competition finals are carried out exclusively via UEFA.com.”All well and good but as we know, Chelsea’s own chairman Todd Boehly has his fingers buried deep in this pie with his stake in US ticket resale site Vivid Seats.Supporters are already on the club’s case over how so many fans of Swedish side Djurgarden were able to buy seats in the home end of Stamford Bridge for the Conference League semi-final second leg. Awkward.REECE James’ position at Chelsea was called into question last week, with Romeo Lavia back fit, Chelsea’s abundance of midfield options, and Moises Caicedo seeming to take up his spot in Enzo Maresca’s favourite starting XI.But the Blues’ captain showed that he’s not going anywhere vs Man Utd, back in the side at right-back and stealing the show with an incredible spin and cross to set up fellow full-back Marc Cucurella.Enzo Maresca said previously that he sees Reece as a midfielder, as he was used on loan at Wigan Athletic, rather than a marauding right-back as he has always been at Chelsea.Questions over James have never been over his ability, but his fitness, and against Manchester United he completed 90 minutes in the Premier League for only the second time since November 2024.What’s more, this season he’s played a part in 21 games since January, a consistent run for his side and is proving that he has a key part to play in this side.If he can keep this up, he can surely establish himself as one of the best in the world in his position once more and work his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England setup.His versatility in Maresca’s system could make him a key cog in this Chelsea machine, with his ability to be a danger out wide and in the middle allowing the Italian gaffer to remain unpredictable and adapt to different game states at different times.Reece is deserving of a start away to Nottingham Forest, a fixture in which he got the match-winning assist on the final day of last season.Chelsea ratings v Man UtdMOISES CAICEDO was named Chelsea’s player of the season last week, and wonderkid Kendry Paez is touted to be a star player for the Blues in seasons to come. Ecuadorian greatness could become a common theme at Stamford Bridge.Caicedo and Paez were both academy graduates of Independiente Del Valle in Ecuador, and this could be somewhere BlueCo continues to shop in the coming transfer windows.Independiente have also produced PSG star defender Willian Pacho, and invincible Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie, both of whom have previously been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.Moises Caicedo bagged the Blues’ player of the season awardCredit: PAEcuador was perhaps for too long a nation with heaps of untapped potential, with Brighton reaping the rewards of building a link with the South American nation, signing talents such as Pervis Estupinian, Caicedo and Jeremy Sarmiento.With Chelsea appointing Brighton’s transfer guru Sam Jewell last year, don’t be surprised to see The Blues do more summer shopping in Sangolquí in the upcoming window.WITH two games to go in Ligue 1, and having just beaten Paris St. Germain, BlueCo-owned Strasbourg looked destined for European football, with a dream of playing in the Champions League very much alive.However, Chelsea’s sister club went and bottled it.After the PSG match, they took on Angers and Le Havre, the teams who finished just outside of the relegation zone in 14th and 15th place, and lost both…That means the French side finished 7th place in Ligue 1, outside of any European spot, including the Conference League, which Chelsea may be about to win.And it hasn’t gone unnoticed by sceptical Blues fans amid all sorts of conspiracy theories.Were Strasbourg to end up in the same competition as Chelsea then it could massively affect this summer’s transfer market with trading between the two BlueCo stablemates banned.Strasbourg’s Liam Rosenior was left stunned as his side lost crucial back-to-back gamesCredit: AFPGiven Chelsea could virtually fill Stamford Bridge with the amount of young players they have sent to Strasbourg on loan that would be a bit of an issue.Of course, it’s all just cynical, light-hearted and nobody really thinks it’s an intra-club carve up.And Liam Rosenior’s men DO still have a chance to play in Europe next campaign.If PSG can get the better of Reims in the Coupe De France final on Saturday, then Lyon (who finished in 6th will be upgraded from a Conference League play-off spot and into the Europa League, meaning Strasbourg will take their place in the play-offs.Last time the two sides met, they shared a point each, but with PSG on the cusp of a potential treble they will surely not take this game lightly.REAL BETIS against Chelsea is a reunion of sorts.The two clubs met in the last eight of the now-defunct Cup Winners Cup in 1998.Chelsea won 3-1 with Blues legend Gianfranco Zola having the last word. The team sheet is a historian’s dream: Ed de Goey in goal, Dennis Wise in midfield along with Roberto di Matteo – he would later achieve the ultimate and win Chelsea’s first Champions League trophy as manager in 2012 – and was sacked the following November. More

  • in

    ‘I’m not happy’ – Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca FUMING at Conference League final opponents Real Betis’ unfair advantage

    ENZO MARESCA has fumed at Chelsea’s Conference League final opponents Real Betis having 48 hours extra to prepare for the match.The Blues boss will lead his side to Poland for the Uefa showpiece on May 28.Enzo Maresca has spoken ahead of his side’s Conference League finalCredit: GettyChelsea will take on Real Betis in PolandCredit: Shutterstock EditorialJust three days earlier, Chelsea will play their crucial Premier League final day clash with Nottingham Forest.The Blues are fourth in the Prem table, but will fall to fifth should Manchester City avoid defeat to Bournemouth this evening.Maresca’s men would then slip below Forest and out of the Champions League places, should the Tricky Trees leapfrog them by winning on Sunday.In contrast with Chelsea, Real Betis will get to play their LaLiga clash on Friday night, giving them two extra days to prepare for the final.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLManuel Pellegrini’s side will host Valencia, having already secured sixth place.On the differences in Chelsea and Betis’ respective schedules, Maresca fumed: “I am not happy, 100 per cent.”You cannot allow a team 48 hours more when you play a European final.”I don’t know if it’s from LaLiga, from the Premier League or from Uefa.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”If I ask you if it is normal to play a final where one team has 48 hours more than the other, it is not normal, it is not correct.”Further pressed on whether Uefa need to adjust their rules, the Chelsea boss added: “Absolutely, yes.”Cole Palmer eats sandwich and ketchup as Brit music legend makes cameo in brilliant Chelsea kit release videoMaresca, 45, played under opposite number Pellegrini at Malaga.On reuniting with the Chilean, Maresca revealed: ” I spoke with Manuel yesterday.”It’s special. I spent four years with Manuel, he is a reference for me because of his career and history.”As a human being, he is a top person. I define him like a professional dad because when I need to make big decisions, we are in contact.”Manuel Pellegrini has a close relationship with Enzo MarescaCredit: Shutterstock Editorial More