Caicedo dreaming of Europa Conference League glory with Chelsea

Moises Caicedo said it would be a dream to win the Europa Conference League title ahead of Chelsea’s first-leg semi-final clash away to Djurgarden on Thursday.

Enzo Maresca’s team head to the 3Arena to face the Swedish outfit, hoping to put one foot in May’s final, which takes place in Wroclaw.

Chelsea breezed through the league phase, scoring a tournament-high 26 goals in the first stage of the competition, continuing their dominance in the knockout rounds.

The Blues then beat Copenhagen 3-1 on aggregate in the round of 16 before battling past Legia Warsaw, with their 1-0 defeat in the second leg their first loss in the competition.

Both of their previous victories in the knockout rounds have seen Chelsea win away in the first leg, something Caicedo believes will be key to progressing to the final.

“We know that every game is tough, so we will head into it with the mentality that the opposition will be tough, but with the desire we have of wanting to win,” said Caicedo.

“We will do everything in this game, everything. We know that they will be very tough opposition, especially at their ground.

“So, we have to do things well, play our game, and I’m sure we’ll be able to bring home a win.”

Chelsea are the clear favourites to win the competition, winning the tournament in 55% of Opta’s data-led simulations.

They have been given a 91% chance of progressing to the final, with their likely opponents being Fiorentina (52%), who face Real Betis (20%), in the other semi-final tie.

Caicedo is yet to win a major honour since swapping Brighton for Chelsea back in 2023, but said he would fulfil a lifelong dream of lifting a European trophy with the Blues.

“Winning the Conference League would mean a lot to me,” the 23-year-old emphasised.

“It’s a European title, and every player dreams of winning European titles.

“And, well, everyone at Chelsea is convinced that we can win it, if we work hard enough, and we know that it will be very tough, right?

“There are still a couple of steps left to win it, but we’ll give it our all to win that trophy.

“I’m champing at the bit for the game to get going because it would be my first international title. So, what I want the most is to win it, and dedicate it to God and to my family.”