Palmer’s Magic: A Messi-Level Spectacle

Joe Cole compares Chelsea star’s performance in Conference League final to that of Barcelona and Argentina legend Lionel Messi

Former Chelsea star Joe Cole has compared the performance of Cole Palmer in the UEFA Conference League final last night to those of one of the worlds’ best-ever players as the Blues made history with a 4-1 win over Real Betis in Wroclaw, Poland.

Chelsea went into half-time in Poland 1-0 down, but after a quiet opening 45 minutes, Palmer grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck to inspire Chelsea to victory and make them the first team to win every UEFA club competition.

Palmer provided two sumptuous crosses that first Enzo Fernandez and then Nicolas Jackson converted to turn the match on its head, before late goals from Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo sealed the win.

‘He is an absolute genius’
UEFA named Palmer the Man of the Match for a performance from the 23-year-old that had Cole, who won seven titles in his seven years at the club, purring.

“If Lionel Messi performs something like this on a stage like this, the world stops,” said Cole on TNT Sports. “It’s like he’s playing in the street or park.

“It’s a privilege to watch this kid play football. He is an absolute genius.”

Making history
Palmer became the first player to assist twice in the final of a major European competition since Marcelo did for Real Madrid against Liverpool in the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League.

His star performance came after a recent spell in the Premier League where he had struggled for attacking output.

His coach Enzo Maresca never had any doubt about Palmer’s quality, which will be on show in the UEFA Champions League next season, thanks to Chelsea’s fourth-placed finish.

“We all know he is a top player,” Maresca said. “We need to help him be in the right position at the right moment. He can decide games with goals and assists.”

Premierleague.com