The attention of the football community turns to Athens on Wednesday as Olympiacos and Fiorentina go head-to-head in the Europa Conference League final. All eyes look towards the AEK Arena, with La Viola bidding to become the second Italian club to lift a piece of European silverware this season.
Since Olympiacos’ home is barely nine kilometers from their fierce rivals’ venue, this feels like a home game for the Greek giants. Athens is probably the only place that would make the Thrylos feel safe and comfortable in their first-ever appearance in a major European final.
It also means Fiorentina can expect hell in the Greek capital. Olympiacos supporters are famous for their passionate love for the club and intimidating atmosphere on their home turf. It’s only natural to assume they will throw a spectacle in the third Europa Conference League showpiece event.
However, Vincenzo Italiano’s men are no strangers to this fixture. Only 12 months ago, they succumbed to a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to West Ham United, missing out on a chance to end the club’s exhaustingly long wait for a European title. But they now have another opportunity to make amends,
Match Preview
Olympiacos
If anyone had any doubt regarding Olympiacos’ continental credentials, those suspicions evaporated after the semi-finals. Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side thumped Premier League heavyweights Aston Villa 6-2 on aggregate, winning both legs by a two-goal margin to book this final date.
Mendilibar, who took charge of Olympiacos in February, becoming the club’s third permanent boss this season, proved his managerial credentials against European specialists Unai Emery. He came to the Italian public’s attention last season when he inspired Sevilla to Europa League glory at the expense of Roma.
The 63-year-old can add insult to injury on Wednesday and upset another Serie A powerhouse. However, history doesn’t back his side, with Olympiacos suffering six defeats across their last seven encounters against Italian teams (W1). On a more positive note, his troops have fared well in the build-up to the final.
Olympiacos have only lost twice in their last 12 competitive outings (W8, D2). Particularly eventful in the latter stages of play, they’ve registered their five most recent goals across all competitions beyond the 60th minute.
Player to Watch: Ayoub El Kaabi
The Moroccan forward has been a force to be reckoned with in Europe’s third-tier competition this term, tallying a tournament-high 15 goals, five of which came in the two semi-final legs against Aston Villa.
Fiorentina
Fiorentina will grace Greek soil under tremendous pressure, with Tuscany expecting Italiano’s side to bring home a European title for the first time in 63 years. La Viola went above and beyond to set up this fixture, squeaking past Club Brugge in the semis as 4-3 aggregate winners, courtesy of Lucas Beltran’s late second-leg penalty.
While things didn’t go smoothly in the last four, the Italians’ imperious 13-game unbeaten run in European football speaks volumes (W7, D6). Further confidence comes from Fiorentina’s form resurgence ahead of this trip. They’re unbeaten in their last four competitive outings (W2, D2), including a nerve-shredding 3-2 win at Cagliari on the final Serie A weekend.
But Fiorentina will have painful memories of their recent meetings with Greek opponents, going winless in their last three such contests (D2, L1). If it’s any consolation, those three matches were all against PAOK, meaning the upcoming clash against Olympiacos could be a welcome change of scenery.
Player to Watch: Giacomo Bonaventura
The veteran midfielder could still convince Italy coach Luciano Spalletti to take him to Germany. Another eye-catching performance in the grand final might do the trick as ‘Jack’ looks to score in back-to-back Europa Conference League finals.
Team News
Former Fiorentina ace Stevan Jovetic is back from injury, but Mendilibar should rely on Daniel Podence and Kostas Fortounis to line up alongside El Kaabi in attack. Nelson Abbey and Gelson Martins are unavailable for selection as Olympiacos refused to include them on the club’s UEFA squad list.
On the other hand, Fiorentina can call upon lightning-quick winger Riccardo Sottil, who fractured his collarbone earlier in May. With Bonaventura set to return to the starting XI, Rolando Mandragora could make way for the ex-Milan playmaker.
Olympiacos vs Fiorentina Potential Lineups
Olympiacos (4-2-3-1): Konstantinos Tzolakis; Rodinei, Panagiotis Retsos, David Carmo, Quini; Santiago Hezze, Vicente Iborra; Kostas Fortounis, Chiquinho, Daniel Podence; Ayoub El Kaabi.
Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): Pietro Terracciano; Dodo, Nikola Milenkovic, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Cristiano Biraghi; Arthur, Giacomo Bonaventura; Nicolas Gonzalez, Lucas Beltran, Christian Kouame; M’Bala Nzola.
Olympiacos vs Fiorentina Prediction
This showdown will likely go down to the wire, and that’s where Fiorentina’s experience could prove decisive, as they’ve shown resilience and composure in tight situations throughout the season.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if a penalty shootout decides the winner, but we expect Fiorentina to claim the title.
Prediction: Fiorentina Win
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