Chelsea secured a commanding 4-1 win against Real Betis in Wroclaw, culminating their season with a trophy and a sense of accomplishment. The match initially posed challenges for Chelsea’s young squad, as they fell behind early to a determined Betis side. However, the team rallied to secure a memorable victory, marking a successful end to their campaign.
Noni Madueke said: “To the critics? Critics make the game. I’m not too worried about them, they spur you on so thank you. But you’re not going to get swearing out of me.”
Madueke continued: “The last few weeks we’ve taken a leap (in maturity). You look at the game against Nottingham Forest how we came through that, the Liverpool (3-1) and United (1-0) games at home, and obviously (Wroclaw). The first half was difficult but we came out and showed our desire. Of course that’s a success. We know Chelsea is a winning club so there was nothing in our minds apart from winning.”
Madueke added: “The gaffer is top. He won last year at Leicester and he won this year in his first year at Chelsea, and qualified for the Champions League, so I don’t understand why there would be criticism of him.”
Chelsea’s journey throughout the 2024/25 campaign was marked by challenges, including a difficult stretch where they secured only two Premier League wins in 10 matches between December and February. This led to criticism from fans towards both the team and head coach Enzo Maresca during home games. Despite these hurdles, Chelsea, with the youngest squad in Premier League history and a manager in his first top-flight season, managed to secure a Champions League spot with a significant win against Nottingham Forest.
The victory in Wroclaw not only added a trophy to Chelsea’s cabinet but also marked the first silverware of the Clearlake Capital era. Enzo Maresca’s first season at Stamford Bridge ended on a high note, enhancing his growing reputation as a manager. Having previously led Leicester to the Championship title in 2023/24, Maresca’s ability to guide Chelsea to a trophy in his debut season further solidified his credentials.
