Chelsea news: How subdued Blues want Conference League for greater success

Chelsea supporters in Wroclaw are expectant, not jubilant.

Sources at Uefa have said the club has not sold out its allocation of 12,000 seats at the Wroclaw Stadion, as of Tuesday night.

According to the eye test, they are outnumbered roughly two to one by Real Betis fans as you walk around the Polish city.

But that is not to say the Blues do not care about winning. The supporters demand success, or it will be three seasons without a trophy under the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital ownership.

Chelsea’s identity is about winning and, although Champions League qualification for the youngest squad in Premier League history is rightly celebrated, they need to add silverware to keep this demanding fanbase on side.

There is still trepidation about this project, both in terms of Enzo Maresca’s management, and the direction the sporting directors and ownership are taking the men’s first team.

Winning the Conference League would buy a lot of goodwill – but then the challenge would begin again next season, with greater success demanded domestically and with Chelsea back in Europe’s elite competition.

Those demands are something Maresca, the players and the ownership all buy into, with the Italian coach saying in his pre-match news conference: “The Conference is important. For us, it’s been important since day one. And the reason why is because it’s the competition that we are in.

“We cannot play Champions League if we are in the Conference. Or we cannot play Europa. We are in the Conference. If we are able to win, I think it’s a good thing – especially because we continue to build the winner mentality.”

Rightly or wrongly, Chelsea feel above this competition – but they are also keen to win it.

How important is the Conference League final to Chelsea? Make your choice here