Chelsea forward Noni Madueke has expressed delight at the club’s UEFA Conference League victory, describing the campaign as a turning point for one of the youngest sides in Premier League history.
Madueke, who is of Nigerian descent, was full of praise for head coach Enzo Maresca following the 4-1 comeback win over Real Betis in Wednesday’s final in Wroclaw, Poland.
Despite early-season criticism, the Italian delivered Chelsea’s first trophy in four years and secured Champions League qualification in his debut season.
“I feel like we’ve come of age, don’t you?” Madueke remarked. “I think the last few weeks, we’ve taken a leap in that sense.”
The winger cited recent results, including wins over Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, and Manchester United, as key moments of growth for the team.
Chelsea’s dominance in the Conference League final was highlighted by Cole Palmer’s standout performance, leading a spirited comeback after Betis took an early lead.
“Of course, (the season is) a success,” Madueke affirmed. “Especially where we’ve come from in the last few years. We know that Chelsea is a winning club. But there has been nothing in our minds apart from winning and we did that.”
Madueke also lauded Maresca’s immediate impact, noting his back-to-back silverware achievements at Leicester and now Chelsea.
“The gaffer is top, man,” he said. “He won last year at Leicester and he won this year in his first year at Chelsea – and qualified for the Champions League. I don’t understand why there would be criticism of him.”
Reflecting on the victory’s significance, Madueke added: “Of course, (winning) becomes infectious. It’s a lot of the boys’ first major trophy and we are super happy that we’ve done it.”
