'european Trophy Would Prove Chelsea Are Back'

Chelsea head Enzo Maresca says nan nine tin make a connection and beryllium they are "back" by winning nan Conference League.

The Blues are 4-1 up aft nan first limb of nan semi-final astatine Swedish nine Djurgarden past week and are beardown favourites to advancement to a last against Real Betis aliases Fiorentina, which will beryllium played successful Wroclaw, Poland, connected 28 May.

Asked whether winning a trophy, albeit Uefa's third-tier European competition, would beryllium capable to opportunity Chelsea are back, Maresca said: "Yes, for me, winning a trophy, nan Conference League, is simply a connection to opportunity Chelsea is back.

"Because, firstly, you triumph a trophy and then, if Real Madrid aliases different clubs didn't play nan Conference League, it's because nan Conference League is not nan level they were at.

"If we play successful nan Conference League, it's because that's wherever we are - we request to commencement from there.

"It's nan only trophy that Chelsea didn't triumph successful nan past and Chelsea tin go nan first nine successful Europe to triumph each nan European competitions, truthful it's besides bully for nan club.

"From location we will effort to triumph nan semi and final. It is simply a bully spot to commencement to build a winners' mentality to triumph games and trophies.

"In nan early we dream we tin beryllium successful different competitions but astatine nan infinitesimal nan reality is nan reality."

According to Transfermarkt,, external Chelsea's squad is worthy 44 times much than Djurgarden's, while Transferroom,, external which acts arsenic a level for clubs to motion players, values Chelsea's squad astatine nan aforesaid level arsenic each 35 different clubs that featured successful nan Conference League's convention shape combined.

Djurgarden are 11th successful nan Swedish apical flight, but 6,000 fans are expected to recreation to London for Thursday's crippled astatine Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, who is expected to start, said: "We will return it arsenic earnestly arsenic immoderate different games.

"It's nan semi-final of a European title and we want to beryllium successful nan final.

"I don't deliberation immoderate of america deliberation this is done yet. We person 90 minutes near to play. We're going to springiness it our each and we want to triumph this crippled arsenic well."

Chelsea are 5th successful nan Premier League and recreation to fourth-placed Newcastle connected Sunday, which could person immense implications for some clubs successful their bid to suffice for adjacent season's Champions League done a top-five finish.