Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has insisted that Cole Palmer's "bad moment" during the second half of the season will help him to become a "better player", after the playmaker inspired the Blues to Conference League glory on Wednesday night.
The West Londoners celebrated their first major trophy in three years, and their first piece of silverware of the Todd Boehly era, in Wroclaw where they came from behind in the second half to win 4-1 against Real Betis in the final.
Chelsea did not have it all their own way against a fired-up Betis outfit, who deservedly entered half time in front, but Palmer produced a man-of-the-match performance when it mattered to help turn the contest on its head.
Palmer fashioned a pair of wonderful assists for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson within the space of five second-half minutes, before goals from Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo put the game to bed.
After an extraordinary breakthrough season last term, following his £42.5m switch from Manchester City, and a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign, Palmer's form surprisingly dipped around the festive period.
The 23-year-old playmaker has only scored one goal since mid-January, and he ended a 17-game goal drought in all competitions when he converted from the penalty spot in a 3-1 win against Premier League champions Liverpool earlier this month.
© Imago
Game-changer Palmer will become a better player, says Maresca
"The bad moments or the bad run he had this season will make him a better player, no doubt," Maresca told reporters after Chelsea's Conference League win.
"We all know he's a top player, we need to help him to be in right position in right moment and then he's a quality player.
"In the last third he can decide games. The two assist were both very nice."
Palmer admitted that he had grown frustrated during the final with Betis, adding: "I was just sick of getting the ball and going backwards and sideways. I thought when I next get the ball I'm going to go and it worked.
"There was a bit of space chopping and changing and I saw Enzo running, so I just put it over the top."
After being omitted from Chelsea's squad for the Conference League group stage - a decision made by Maresca to manage his workload in the first half of the season - Palmer's unsurprising return proved decisive as it was his brilliance that enabled the Blues to come from behind in the showpiece.
Commenting on the performance of his Chelsea teammate, Tosin Adarabioyo said: "If you saw what he did today, it was crazy to be honest. Two very special individual moments where he was able to hold onto the ball and provide bundles of quality to put the ball onto Enzo and Nico to score two great goals.
"He completely changed the game and that's what he does, man."
Palmer chipped in with a total of three assists in six Conference League matches, while he recorded 15 goals and nine assists in 37 Premier League appearances to help Chelsea finish fourth in the table and qualify for the Champions League.
Oliver Thomas
