Why Chelsea Won’t Take Home the Original Conference League Trophy Despite Win
- Chelsea defeated Real Betis to claim the 2025 UEFA Conference League title with a commanding display in Wroclaw
- This victory ended a three-year trophy drought and marked the first major silverware since Roman Abramovich’s departure as owner
- However, the club must now adhere to strict UEFA regulations regarding the handling of the trophy
2025 UEFA Conference League champions, Chelsea, will need to adhere to strict UEFA guidelines on how the trophy is handled following their triumph.
The Blues secured the first major silverware of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake consortium era with a commanding 4-1 win over Real Betis in the final.
Source: Getty Images
After a sluggish first half, Chelsea came alive in the second, dismantling the Spanish side with a dominant display.
Cole Palmer stole the spotlight once more, delivering two superb assists for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson to spark Chelsea’s comeback.
Jadon Sancho added a stunning curling finish off the bench, and Moises Caicedo sealed the emphatic victory in stoppage time.
The triumph not only crowned Chelsea as winners of every major European club competition but also capped a remarkable season that included Champions League qualification.
UEFA Conference League trophy regulations
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea will need to adhere to UEFA’s specific guidelines regarding the handling of the Conference League trophy.
Notably, the club was not permitted to take the original trophy back to England instead, they were presented with a replica, different from the one UEFA President Aleksandar Ceferin handed to captain Reece James during the ceremony.
According to Article 11 of the Conference League regulations, the rules clearly state:
"The original trophy, which is used for the official presentation ceremony at the final and other official events approved by UEFA, remains in UEFA’s keeping and ownership at all times. A full-size replica trophy, the UEFA Conference League winners' trophy, is awarded to the winning club."
In addition, the replica trophy given to Chelsea is not allowed to leave England unless UEFA provides written permission in advance.
"Replica trophies awarded to winners of the competition (past and current) must remain within the relevant club’s control at all times and may not leave the club’s country without UEFA’s prior written consent (in this respect, clubs must comply with any request from the UEFA administration to confirm the location of the club’s replica trophies)."
Source: Getty Images
Chelsea's celebration plans
Chelsea have yet to announce if they will hold an open-top bus parade to mark their accomplishments this season.
Victory parades have become a common tradition, with clubs like Liverpool, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, and Tottenham all staging their own.
Over in Spain, Celta Vigo also held a parade to celebrate their qualification for European football after securing seventh place in La Liga.
"I’m so happy. It’s a medal that I am always going to remember. It is thanks to God, and it is because of Him I am here. Everybody is happy, and we will celebrate this. It’s the first of many, for sure. We want to win a lot of trophies for this amazing club, and we are going to do it for sure," said Caicedo after the game, as captured on Chelsea's website.
Why Romeo Lavia didn't get Conference League medal
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Romeo Lavia was noticeably absent from the Chelsea lineup receiving medals after their Conference League triumph on Wednesday, May 28.
The Blues staged a comeback to defeat Real Betis 4-1 at Wroclaw Stadium, becoming the first club to win all three major European club competitions.
Source: YEN.com.gh
