What Todd Boehly did after the final whistle as Chelsea clinch Champions League place

Chelsea are back in the Champions League and while it took until the second half of the final round of games for Enzo Maresca to seal fourth place, few can now protest against Enzo Maresca delivering a season of major progress at Stamford Bridge.

The youngest squad in Premier League history delivered under pressure to drop Nottingham Forest into the Conference League positions and perhaps show the wider Chelsea project, so expensive, so different, so maligned, could yet turn out to be a recipe for success.

There is some way to go for them to become title challengers next season but fans are right to feel optimistic and excited after they neutered Forest when they could easily have crumpled at a revved up City Ground. Indeed the sight of chairman Todd Boehly marching on to the pitch at full time to embrace Maresca, among others, pointed to a job pretty well done.

Maresca's decision to name his best XI here with Wednesday's Conference League final against Real Betis to come may have been construed as a risk - even if the reward on offer was far greater financially - but it paid off.

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Early on it looked like Chelsea were a little overawed by the boisterous atmosphere but the big lesson this season has been it is foolish to permit Forest time and space to counterattack. And, really, Nuno’s side did not have much up their sleeve when allowed time on the ball during a cagey opening period.

Once the noise was dialed down a few decibels, Chelsea began to grow in stature and they should really have been in front around the half hour mark when Pedro Neto got on the end of Cole Palmer’s cross from the right about six yards from goal.

But with Colwill waiting behind him, Portugal star Neto got his feet mixed up and diverted a glorious opportunity wide. Colwill looked furious but when his chance, via Neto’s assist, arrived five minutes into the second half he was never going to miss.

From that point on Chelsea were again happy to allow Forest more possession than they knew how to use. And considering there have been various points this season where it was fair to wonder if the youngest squad in Premier League history has enough leadership, this was a performance full of resilience fused with a bit of smarts.

They chose their moments to delay the game well and successfully frustrated Forest through small acts such as well-timed substitutions and standing in front of free kicks to stop them from being taken quickly.

In isolation not much to take notice of but added together some signs of a team coming of age.

And so now they head to Wroclaw, looking to crown a season of development with European silverware. Maresca has justifiably fumed over Real Betis being allowed 48 hours extra to prepare – their final La Liga fixture against Valencia took place on Friday night – but this performance and result should do more to fuel their fire.

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