Chelsea has long been a prominent force in European football, but most of their success has come in the continent’s most elite competition, the UEFA Champions League. Since Roman Abramovich took over the club back in 2003, they have dined at the most elite table in club football 18 times out of a possible 21.
But it’s their record in Europe but not in the UCL in which Chelsea truly shines. They first appeared in it in 2013 after the defence of their Champions League crown didn’t go too well, and they managed to win it all. Six years later, they famously humbled rivals Arsenal with a 4-1 drubbing in Baku.
This year, they are featuring in the Conference League for the first time ever. And anyone thinking that the Blues would be taking it easy on the third-tier tournament ought to think again.
Stellar Start to Maresca’s Reign
Many were underwhelmed when Chelsea appointed Enzo Maresca as manager in the summer, but the Italian boss has hit the ground running. They are currently sitting in third place in the Premier League table, and those that want to bet on Premier League with Paddy Power can back the Blues to lift the trophy at odds of 18/1, much shorter than they were in preseason.
The Stamford Bridge outfit wasn’t really considered a contender to secure a return to the Champions League. Now though, the latest Premier League top 4 odds make them an 8/13 frontrunner. To put that into perspective, only Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City have shorter odds. But before they can secure their spot in the big time, Chelsea is gunning to make it three straight European titles not named the UEFA Champions League.
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Last Two Continental Campaigns Outside of the Elite
Back in the 2013/13 season, the Blues’ defence of their first-ever Champions League crown was a disaster. Defeats to Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus resulted in the club dropping into the Europa League after finishing behind both those two clubs, costing manager Roberto Di Matteo his job. Rafa Benitez was controversially appointed interim manager until the end of the season, and he set about adding a trophy to the Stamford Bridge cabinet that they had never before lifted.
Under the Spaniard, the Blues didn’t initially look like a team destined for glory. They sneaked past the likes of Sparta Prague and Steaua Bucharest, before surviving a Rubin Kazan fightback in the quarterfinals. In the semis, they looked more like the Chelsea of old, winning home and away to set up a final against Benfica in Amsterdam.
Fernando Torres gave the London outfit an early lead before Oscar Cardozo equalised from the penalty spot and sent the tie to extra time. There, Branislav Ivanovic’s looping header was enough to seal the victory and the title.
Breaking Arsenal Hearts
Six years later, the Blues found themselves in Europe’s secondary competition once again. This time around, the tournament provided a welcome respite for manager Maurizio Sarri who struggled domestically. On the continental stage, they were dominant, marauding their way to the semifinals where they survived a scare against Eintracht Frankfurt to ultimately win on penalties. In the final, it was normal service resumed.
Chelsea met Arsenal in an all-English final in Baku. The Gunners needed to win the match if they wanted to compete in the Champions League the following season. Unfortunately for them, The Blues had other ideas. A stellar display from Eden Hazard in which the Belgian netted twice and provided two assists helped the Blues to a resounding 4-1 victory.
