Soccer
Reece James urged Chelsea to “go again” after they made history by defeating Real Betis 4-1 to win the Europa Conference League.
Trailing to Abde Ezzalzouli’s goal in a lacklustre first-half showing in Wroclaw, the Blues roared back as Cole Palmer set up Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson to turn the game around in five second-half minutes.
Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo then made sure of a win that saw Chelsea become the first team to win each of the Champions, Europa, and Conference Leagues, and the first to win four UEFA tournaments, having also lifted the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup.
But they will dine at Europe’s top table next season after qualifying for the Champions League and captain James says Chelsea have to keep progressing.
“It’s a great feeling. As the game went on we grew into it and thankfully we scored four goals in the second half,” he told TNT Sports.
“Coming into this competition was something we had to win. Next season we go again in the Champions League.”
James was not selected to start the game for a Chelsea side who scored a competition-record 42 goals throughout the tournament.
The England international said he just had to be ready to come on for what is Chelsea’s seventh European trophy, a tally bettered only by Liverpool (nine) among English sides.
“Of course it is devastating to know you are not starting in a final. I want to play every game, but it was the manager’s decision,” he added.
“Once he made the decision, I had to move on and accept it and be ready when I was needed.”
Victory ends a run of 27 straight Spanish victories when taking into account finals of the World Cups, European Championships, Champions League and the UEFA Cup/Europa League involving Spanish sides.
Defender Levi Colwill also came off the bench and the England international is excited for this squad to challenge themselves at a higher level.
“To be the first club to have won everything possible, you can see the fans celebrating now, and it shows how much it means to them,” he said.
“It (the past week) has been amazing. We have achieved everything we wanted to do. It feels amazing winning my first European competition with Chelsea, hopefully many more to go.
“And getting Champions League for next season, I don’t think you can get any better than that.”
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