“It’s Not Normal”—Enzo Maresca Furious Over Unfair Advantage Ahead of Conference League Final

The Chelsea manager is preparing for his first European final in charge of the Blues, but the build-up to the UEFA Europa Conference League match against Real Betis has already hit a major controversy.

Speaking in his pre-final press conference, Maresca questioned the fairness of a scheduling decision that gives Betis a clear edge. While Chelsea must battle Nottingham Forest on Sunday at 4pm in a must-win Premier League game, Real Betis will finish their La Liga campaign on Friday night—a full 48 hours earlier.

That gives the Spanish side two extra days of rest and preparation time ahead of the final in Wroclaw on Wednesday.

“I am not happy, 100%,” Maresca said. “You cannot allow a team 48 hours [more rest] when we play in a European final.”

The match against Forest isn’t just a routine fixture for Chelsea. It could be the difference between playing in next season’s Champions League or not. That means Maresca will have no room to rest key players—unlike Betis, whose game is a “dead rubber” with no real consequences. Their opponents, Valencia, are also out of contention for European spots, so Betis can afford to rotate heavily and focus on the final.

This isn’t just about one manager complaining. Studies in sports science have consistently shown that even one day’s extra rest can make a big difference in performance levels. A 48-hour gap is massive, especially at the end of a long season when fatigue is already a major factor.

According to UEFA’s own data, teams that have more rest before knockout ties win over 60% of the time, especially when playing opponents with heavy domestic schedules. Maresca is right to feel that the odds have been tilted—however slightly—against his team.

He went on to challenge UEFA to bring in fairer rules in the future:

“I don’t know if it’s La Liga or UEFA [who should decide]. If I ask you if it is normal to play a final where the team has 48 hours more, it’s not normal.”

The issue lies in how the two leagues treat their teams. La Liga was quick to move Betis’ match to help their side focus on the final. But the Premier League, which insists all teams play their final fixtures at the same time, won’t make exceptions—even for a European final. Their concern is avoiding match-fixing or unfair advantages in the race for titles or survival.

Chelsea, fighting for a Champions League spot, have no choice but to play their strongest XI on Sunday. And while their squad is filled with quality, many of their stars—like Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, and Moisés Caicedo—have already played over 45 matches this season.

Despite the scheduling headache, Chelsea will go into the final as favourites. They’ve scored the most goals (28) in the Europa Conference League this season and boast a much stronger squad than Real Betis on paper. Players like Palmer and Nicolas Jackson have stepped up in recent months, while the return of Reece James and Enzo Fernández from injury offers even more strength.