Real Betis have received a favourable decision from La Liga ahead of their Europa Conference League final against Chelsea.

The Blues are set to face a Real Betis side with fresher legs than anticipated in the final next week, after La Liga rescheduled the Spanish club’s fixture in a move seen as giving them an advantage in their bid to win the tournament.

Chelsea will meet Real Betis at the Wrocław Stadium on Wednesday, 28 June, as Enzo Maresca aims to claim his first trophy as Chelsea manager. The London club reached the final by overcoming Djurgården in the semi-finals, while Betis defeated Fiorentina.

Chelsea face Nottingham Forest on Sunday in the final Premier League fixture of the 2025/26 season. This match is crucial for Maresca, with Champions League qualification still undecided — Forest sit seventh, just one point behind Chelsea and Newcastle United in fourth and third places respectively.

La Liga’s Fixture Change Poses Challenge for Chelsea

While the Premier League season will conclude in a frantic fashion, Real Betis will enjoy a more relaxed schedule. Originally, Betis were due to play Valencia in La Liga on Sunday evening in a match with little at stake. Betis have already secured Europa League group stage qualification and are guaranteed to finish sixth, while Valencia sit mid-table.

Consequently, La Liga moved the fixture. BBC reporter Nizaar Kinsella posted on social media platform X:

“La Liga have allowed Real Betis to move their fixture against Valencia to Friday instead of Sunday night. It gives two more days to prepare for the Conference League final. There is nothing on the game after Betis lost to Atlético Madrid. Valencia are also mid-table.”

This rescheduling is a significant advantage for Real Betis, managed by former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, as it affords them extra rest and preparation time ahead of the final. Naturally, Chelsea would have preferred their opponents to enter the final with more fatigued legs.

Why the Premier League Won’t Shift Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea

The Premier League has previously shown it can accommodate clubs involved in European finals, but will not move Chelsea’s fixture against Nottingham Forest. This is because all final day matches kick off simultaneously to maintain fairness in the relegation and European qualification battles.

Tottenham Hotspur did successfully request a fixture change last month to allow additional rest before their Europa League final against Manchester United. The Premier League announced:

“The Premier League match between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur has been rescheduled to Friday 16 May, kicking off at 19:30 BST.

This follows a request from Spurs due to their potential participation in the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday 21 May. Additionally, the match between Chelsea and Manchester United on Friday 16 May will now kick off at 20:15 BST. Both matches remain live on Sky Sports in the UK.”

In other developments, Chelsea’s remaining fixtures compared to Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and others have taken unexpected turns as the season nears its climax.