Ponferrada’s Final Is No Favour

Chelsea have won their last five European games; Ponferrada arrive after surviving Borussia Dortmund on penalties, and will need another performance built on nerve and endurance.

Ponferrada are ninth in the Spanish First Division, with 50 points from 36 games; Chelsea lead the English Premier Division with 103 from 37. Chelsea have already secured the title.

The last meetings offer no comfort: Chelsea won 1-0 at home and 3-2 away in 2062. They led 2-0 before Chelsea scored three times, Lionel Messi striking in stoppage time. The Spaniards have since made it through a goalless semi-final against Dortmund, winning the shoot-out 4-3 after extra time. As we wrote three days ago, that was a night for nerve, not glamour.

Both sides are expected to use a 4-3-3. Ponferrada’s likely eleven comes with a worrying caveat: eight expected starters were listed as tired on 17 May, while Chelsea had three players short of full condition. Ponferrada are also without Federico Rocchi and Fran Belmonte through injury. Chelsea will miss centre-back Vanja Mačkić.

Roberto Baggio has two goals and an assist across his last four games; Messi has been in strong form too. Ponferrada’s Gérson knows Chelsea well, having spent six seasons there, but his recent ratings have dipped. Chelsea’s Nacho Valera, formerly of Ponferrada, offers another old connection—and a timely threat, with two goals and two assists in his last four.

Chelsea, with a European dynasty ended only last season, will expect to finish the job.