Europa Conference League Predictions: 5 Reasons Chelsea is the top favourite

UEFA Conference League: League Phase Standings

Before diving deeper into Chelsea’s favourite status, let’s first analyze the current UEFA Conference League standings. With the league phase concluded, the competition is now moving into the knockout rounds—but which teams have secured their spot?

Here’s a breakdown of the standings and what they mean for the next stage of the tournament.

Teams Advancing Directly to the Round of 16

The top 8 teams in the league phase automatically qualify for the Round of 16, avoiding the extra knockout Round. These teams have dominated the group stage and now enjoy a direct path to the last 16, giving them extra rest and preparation time.

🟢 Teams advancing directly to the Round of 16:
1️⃣ Chelsea – Perfect record! Six wins in six games, 26 goals scored, and only 5 conceded. The Blues were unstoppable, finishing with 18 points—the highest in the league phase.
2️⃣ Vitória SC – The Portuguese side impressed with 4 wins, 2 draws, and just 6 goals conceded, showing solid defensive discipline.
3️⃣ Fiorentina—Last season’s runners-up, Fiorentina, secured their place with 13 points, proving they remain a serious contender.
4️⃣ Rapid Wien – The Austrian club matched FFiorentina’s13 points, showing consistency throughout the league phase.
5️⃣ Djurgården – The Swedish side also finished with 13 points, boasting one of the tournament’s strongest defenses.
6️⃣ Lugano – A solid campaign from the Swiss team, who finished with 13 points and are now looking ahead to the knockout stage.
7️⃣ Legia Warsaw – Despite two losses, their 12-point haul was enough to secure a direct qualification spot.
8️⃣ Cercle Brugge – The Belgian club edged out competitors with 11 points, completing the top 8.

These teams will now skip the knockout round play-offs and advance directly to the Round of 16, giving them a crucial advantage in the tournament.

Teams Qualifying for the Knockout Round Play-Offs

Teams finishing 9th to 24th in the standings will have to go through an extra knockout play-off round to reach the last 16. These teams will face each other in two-legged ties, with the winners progressing.

⚔️ Teams qualifying for the play-offs:
9️⃣ Jagiellonia Białystok (11 pts)
🔟 Shamrock Rovers (11 pts)
1️⃣1️⃣ APOEL (11 pts)
1️⃣2️⃣ Pafos (10 pts)
1️⃣3️⃣ Panathinaikos (10 pts)
1️⃣4️⃣ Olimpija (10 pts)
1️⃣5️⃣ Real Betis (10 pts)
1️⃣6️⃣ Heidenheim (10 pts)
1️⃣7️⃣ Gent (9 pts)
1️⃣8️⃣ Copenhagen (8 pts)
1️⃣9️⃣ Vikingur Reykjavik (8 pts)
2️⃣0️⃣ Borac (8 pts)
2️⃣1️⃣ Celje (7 pts)
2️⃣2️⃣ Omonia (7 pts)
2️⃣3️⃣ Molde (7 pts)
2️⃣4️⃣ TSC (7 pts)

These teams will now have to battle it out for a spot in the Round of 16, with higher-ranked teams being slight favourites heading into the play-offs.

Eliminated Teams

With the league phase concluded, not all teams will progress to the knockout rounds. The bottom 12 teams in the standings have been eliminated from the competition, marking the end of their European journey this season.

While some clubs fought hard but fell just short, others struggled to keep up with the competition. Let’s examine the eliminated teams and what went wrong for them.

❌ Teams Eliminated from the UEFA Conference League (25th – 36th place):
2️⃣5️⃣ Hearts – 7 points (-3 GD) – Decent effort, but not enough to make the cut.
2️⃣6️⃣ Istanbul Basaksehir – 6 points (-3 GD) – One of the bigger names to miss out, struggled with inconsistency.
2️⃣7️⃣ Mladá Boleslav – 6 points (-3 GD) – Defensive issues cost them crucial games.
2️⃣8️⃣ Astana – 5 points (-4 GD) – Lacked attacking firepower.
2️⃣9️⃣ St. Gallen – 5 points (-8 GD) – Conceded 18 goals, one of the worst defensive records.
3️⃣0️⃣ HJK – 4 points (-6 GD) – A brutal campaign for the Finnish club.
3️⃣1️⃣ Noah – 4 points (-10 GD) – Couldn’t keep up with the competition.
3️⃣2️⃣ The New Saints – 3 points (-5 GD) – Managed only one win in six games.
3️⃣3️⃣ Dinamo Minsk – 3 points (-9 GD) – Conceded too many goals.
3️⃣4️⃣ Larne – 3 points (-9 GD) – Struggled in both attack and defense.
3️⃣5️⃣ LASK Linz – 3 points (-10 GD) – A disappointing campaign for the Austrian side.
3️⃣6️⃣ Petrocub – 2 points (-9 GD) – Finished last in the standings with zero wins.

Why were these teams eliminated?
Poor defensive records: Many of these clubs conceded too many goals, making competing at a higher level difficult.
Lack of firepower: Teams like Petrocub and HJK struggled to score, which severely hurt their chances.
Inconsistent form: Istanbul Basaksehir and Mladá Boleslav showed flashes of quality but lacked consistency.
Tough competition: The new league phase format meant only the top 24 teams progressed, making qualification even more challenging.

Overall Key Takeaways from the League Phase

Chelsea’s dominance: The only team with a 100% record and the highest goal difference (+21). They head into the knockouts as clear favourites.
Surprise packages: Vitória SC, Rapid Wien, and Djurgården had outstanding campaigns, finishing among the top 8.
Big names in danger: Real Betis and Copenhagen will need to fight through the play-offs after failing to crack the top 8.
Balanced competition: The standings show how competitive the Conference League is, with many teams finishing within just a few points of each other.

Looking Ahead: Europa Conference League Predictions

With the league phase now complete, the knockout rounds are set to bring even more drama, intensity, and surprises. While 24 teams remain in contention, only a handful have the quality to go all the way—and one club stands above the rest.

Chelsea has dominated the competition so far, finishing the league phase with a perfect record, the highest goal difference (+21), and an unstoppable attack. With their blend of youthful energy, European experience, and tactical versatility, the Blues are widely seen as the top contender for the Europa Conference League trophy.

But what makes Chelsea the clear favourite? Let’s break it down, starting with their biggest strength: unmatched squad depth.