Why Chelsea aren't the smart pick for the Conference League

Ladbrokes looks at why, despite being the bookies' favourites, Chelsea might not actually be the smart pick to win the Conference League this season.

As noted, Chelsea are still the firm favourites to win the competition outright at odds of 2/5. They are followed by Real Betis (4/1), Fiorentina (11/2) and Djurgardens (16/1).

However, Enzo Maresca's side are having a bit of a wobble, just as their main contenders for European silverware hit a period of fine form.

So, Ladbrokes takes a deeper look at the reasons why Chelsea might not be the smart pick to win UEFA Conference League, and who could be a better bet instead.

There are some familiar faces among Chelsea's potential opponents, with Betis and Fiorentina both containing ex-Premier League players enjoying fine seasons abroad.

Antony was considered one of the all-time flops in England after moving to Manchester United for £80m in 2022. However, since joining Betis on loan in January he been a player reborn.

The Spanish side lost just two of their first ten games after the Brazilian winger joined, a run that included an impressive win against Real Madrid and a point away at Barcelona.

Betis are currently 6th in La Liga, in stark contrast to Antony's parent club under Ruben Amorim, who are 14th and face a tough battle just to finish in the top 10.

Meanwhile, ex-Everton striker Moise Kean didn't exactly light up the league at Goodison Park, with a record of two goals from 32 games.

However, the Italian international is having a sensational season for La Viola, with 22 goals in all competitions to date. His 17 goals in Serie A is second only to Atalanta's Mateo Retegui.

Fiorentina are 8th in Serie A but well in the race for the Champions League spots, sitting seven points behind 4th.

Fiorentina and Betis have both made a good habit of turning up in big games this season domestically, along with their European conquests.

As well as their aforementioned results against Real and Barca, Betis won their local derby against Sevilla in March.

Fiorentina have been in especially good form at home, winning against the trio of Atalanta, Juventus and AC Milan - all in Serie A's top four - without conceding a single goal.

The Italian side have also made the final of the Conference League in each of the last two seasons, losing on both occasions to West Ham and Olympiacos. Can they go one better this time?

That doesn't bode particularly well for Chelsea's recent struggles away from home. They've won just one of their last nine away games in the league, losing five of them.

Three of those defeats - at Aston Villa, Brighton and Manchester City - were against rivals in the race for Champions League qualification, and Chelsea were meek in a 1-0 loss to Arsenal. The Blues have slipped to 6th in the Premier League.

Chelsea are losing momentum at the wrong point of the season and pressure is growing on Enzo Maresca. There are signs of discontent from the stands with his style of play, which boiled over in their 2-2 draw against Ipswich at Stamford Bridge.

Despite a poor run of form, the Conference League still represents a great opportunity for Chelsea to win silverware and guarantee Europa League football next season.

They have found success in the competition, winning all nine of their games since the qualifying phase, while also giving opportunities to youngsters like Marc Guiu.

The 19-year-old Spanish striker has 6 goals in 6 games and is the joint-second top scorer in the competition - along with Betis striker Cedric Bakambu.

Chelsea have not faced many challenges in their European campaign so far, but found it tougher against Copenhagen and Legia Warsaw in the knockout rounds.

They still have by far the strongest squad in the competition, with regulars including Cole Palmer starting to feature more in the latter stages.

A trophy is there for the taking, but their potential opponents from now represent a huge step up in quality.

• Real Betis vs Fiorentina
• Djurgarden vs Chelsea

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.