Conference League Season 24/25 Review
The 2024/25 UEFA Conference League season was the 4th iteration of this tournament and was the first of its kind to feature an expanded format. Chelsea emerged as champions, defeating Real Betis 4-1 in the final held at Wrocław Stadium in Poland. This victory made Chelsea the first club to win all four major European trophies, underscoring their continental pedigree. The season was notable for its expanded league phase, increased number of matches, and the absence of Europa League drop-ins, which intensified the competition’s uniqueness and competitiveness.
League Phase
This season introduced a revamped 36-team league phase, replacing the previous group stage format and increasing the total matches from 141 to 153. Chelsea dominated this phase, finishing first with an impressive record of six wins, without any losses, scoring 26 goals and conceding only 5. Their commanding performances included an 8-0 The thrashing of FC Noah, the largest single-match margin in the competition’s history under the new format.
Vitoria SC finished as runners-up, without a loss, drawing only two games. While Fiorentina, the two-time finalists, finished third. Joining them in the top eight were Rapid Wien, Djurgården, Lugano, Legia Warszawa, and Cercle Brugge.
Playoff Round
The playoff rounds featured intense battles, with several memorable matches. Chelsea’s route to the final was marked by strong showings, including a 3-1 aggregate win over Copenhagen in the round of 16, and overcoming Legia Warszawa 4-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
The semi-finals saw Chelsea convincingly beat Djurgården 5-1 on aggregate, while Real Betis edged Fiorentina 4-3 after extra time, showcasing the competitive spirit and quality of the knockout stages.
Real Betis finished the league phase in 15th place but excelled in the elimination round. They defeated Vitoria SC, the runner-up team of the competition, and ran all the way to the final. Celje, the 21st-ranked team, managed to reach the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Fiorentina, 4-3 on aggregate.
Europa Conference League 24/25 Final
The final on 28 May 2025 was a compelling contest between Chelsea and Real Betis. Betis took an early lead through Abde Ezzalzouli, raising hopes for a historic first continental trophy under coach Manuel Pellegrini.
However, Chelsea, managed by Enzo Maresca, mounted a spectacular comeback in the second half. Strategic substitutions, including Reece James, Jadon Sancho, and Levi Colwill, shifted the momentum. Chelsea scored four unanswered goals, with Cole Palmer playing a pivotal role in their dominance. The 4-1 victory not only crowned Chelsea champions but also demonstrated their resilience and depth, cementing their status in European football history.
Conference League Top Performers
The season featured standout individual performances, with Afimico Pululu of Jagiellonia finishing first with eight goals. Cédric Bakambu of Betis Sevilla finished second with seven goals, while Chelsea’s Marc Guiu and Armandas Kučys from NK Celje finished as third-best scorers, each of them scoring six goals apiece.
Svit Seslar, also of NK Celje, had the most assists during the competition and finished with eight. He was followed by Enzo Fernández (Chelsea) and Tokmac Nguen (Djurgården), who both had six and five, respectively.
Teams Competing in Europa Conference League
Compared to the other two European competitions, the Champions League and the Europa League, no team is able to earn a direct spot in the Europa Conference League. Instead, the top teams from the top five European leagues will still need to qualify through the Play-Off round, something that should greatly be considered in our Europa Conference League predictions.
A lot of teams will have the opportunity to play in the UEFA Europa Conference League because everyone who loses in the knockout stages will be transferred to the ECL. Everything depends on the league but it was meant for the teams that couldn’t reach the top UEFA Europa leagues to get some experience in European competitions. This also means that the Europa Conference League predictions are a bit harder compared to CL and EL, but not for our expert tipsters.
Europa Conference League Competition Format
Starting from the 2024/25 season, the Europa Conference League will feature a new format. The number of participating teams will increase to 36, all competing in a single league table. Each team will play six matches against different opponents (three home and three away). Teams will be seeded into four pots, and will face two teams from each pot.
The top eight teams from the league phase will automatically advance to the round of 16. Teams ranked 9th to 24th will enter playoffs to secure the remaining eight spots in the round of 16. These changes aim to enhance competition and provide broader opportunities for clubs across Europe.
Conference League Stats
Here’s a breakdown of key stats for the UEFA Europa Conference League:
Average Goals per Match:
The UEFA Conference League tends to have a relatively high average goals per match, around 2.82 goals per game in the group and knockout stages. This suggests matches often see a fair share of goals, especially with teams from lesser-known leagues participating.
Clean Sheet Percentage:
The clean sheet percentage is lower compared to the Champions League or Europa League, sitting around 25%. This indicates that many teams struggle defensively, especially when facing more experienced European sides.
Failed to Score (FTS) Percentage:
On average, about 22-23% of teams fail to score in the Conference League matches. This figure highlights that while there’s a fair number of goals, a decent percentage of teams struggle in attack, particularly those from smaller footballing nations.
Points per Game (PPG) for Group Stage Top Teams:
The top teams in the group stages typically accumulate around 2.35 PPG, similar to the Europa League. Dominant teams from smaller leagues, or mid-tier clubs from major leagues, tend to perform well against weaker opposition, making them reliable for betting on match outcomes.
These stats provide insight into the Conference League’s goal-scoring patterns and defensive vulnerabilities, making it attractive for “Both Teams to Score” (BTS) or Over/Under markets.
How the Conference League Stands Apart from the Europa and Champions League?
The introduction of UEFA’s Conference League has reshaped the landscape of European football, offering a distinct flavor to the already rich mix provided by the Europa League and Champions League. The key differences between these competitions lie in their format, level of competition, and teams involved.
To start with, while all three leagues operate under UEFA’s banner, their formats set them apart. The Champions League is often seen as the pinnacle of club football in Europe, featuring top-tier teams from each nation’s league. The Europa League steps in as the next tier down, hosting those who’ve narrowly missed out on Champions glory.
In contrast, the Conference League caters to clubs that find themselves further down their domestic league tables – it’s a platform for emerging talents and clubs aiming for international exposure without battling Goliaths right away. This creates an entirely different competitive environment; one where underdogs can become heroes and surprises are standard fare.
From a betting perspective, this fresh dynamic offers unique opportunities. While wagers on established teams in the Champions or Europa Leagues might seem more predictable due to historical data and well-known playing styles, bets placed within Conference matches carry intrigue with less certainty around outcomes – potentially leading to higher payouts for those who call it right.
The level of competition also varies significantly across these tours. In both Champions and Europa Leagues, seasoned veterans wield experience like a weapon—these are stages they’ve graced many times before. However, within Conference circles lies raw ambition yet unhinged by years at this altitude—a place where passion can outweigh pedigree on any given matchday.
Europa Conference League Past Winners
Being that the Europe Conference League is the youngest European competition, there is not much history that goes along with it, but here is the table detailing all the previous winners:
| Season | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|
| 2024-2025 | Chelsea | Real Betis |
| 2023-2024 | Olympiacos | Fiorentina |
| 2022-2023 | West Ham United | Fiorentina |
| 2021-2022 | AS Roma | Feyenoord |
Fiorentina were obviously very unlucky to arrive to the finals twice, but not win the competition. Even in the 24/25 season, they managed to get to the semis, however, they were then eliminated by the runners-up Real Betis. Look out for Fiorentina in this competition in the following seasons, especially since they’ve managed to qualify for the Conference League again this season.
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