There were 65 minutes on the clock when a chill spread around Stadion Wroclaw and Real Betis’s flame fizzled out. That was the moment when Cold Palmer finally emerged, decided that enough was enough and took an icy hold on a final that was in danger of running away from Chelsea. That was the moment when disaster was averted, Betis’s hopes of winning the Uefa Conference League faded and it became clear that Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and the rest of Chelsea’s leadership team would be on the pitch at full time, drinking it all in after claiming their first piece of silverware in the men’s game since their takeover in 2022.
The predictability of the outcome did not make the feeling any less sweet for Boehly and Eghbali after a season that began with their differences getting a very public airing. Really, though, this was all about one very special individual. There have been countless signings under this Chelsea ownership but none as smart as the £40m spent on buying Palmer from Manchester City.
