Welcome to the first in a series of articles that will look at this season’s UEFA Club competition finals, starting with the Europa Conference League Final.
This year’s tournament will see English side West Ham United taking on the Italians Fiorentina at the Eden Arena in Prague, Czechia.
It has been an extraordinary tournament in many ways with a number of big name teams vying to follow AS Roma into the history books as the second winner of UEFA’s newest club competition.
And of course, there are already plenty of punters interested in having a bet in what will be West Ham’s first European final since 1976, as well as Fiorentina’s first since 1990.
The Italians will become the first team to have appeared in all of the four UEFA club competitions having done so in the Champions League/European Cup, UEFA Cup/Europa League, the now defunct Cup Winners Cup and the new Europa Conference League.
Both teams have won just one European trophy in its past, the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, with West Ham winning in 1965 and Fiorentina in 1961.
Let’s now preview the final, as well as the two teams competing in it, in more detail.
After an exciting Europa Conference League campaign, two former Cup Winners Cup winners will meet in the second Europa Conference League Final in Prague on Wednesday 7th June.
Italian side Fiorentina make their first European Final appearance since 1990 against a West Ham side who last appeared in just such a final back in 1976.
Let’s now take a look at how both teams qualified for the final.
After defeating FC Twente narrowly in the playoff round, Fiorentina were drawn into Group A alongside Latvian side SK RFS, Scottish team Hearts of Midlothian and Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.
Fiorentina finished second in the group on their head-to-head goal difference with Istanbul Basaksehir, ostensibly due to a 3-0 defeat in their away game in Turkey.
That meant that Fiorentina would have to play a Knockout Playoff two-legged tie to advance to the Round of 16.
Conference League Record – Played – 16, Won – 11, Drew – 2, Lost – 3, For – 38, Against – 17
Squad numbers shown in brackets.
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Attackers
Manager – Vincenzo Italiano
Probable Fiorentina XI – (4-3-3) – GK – Terracciano, DR – Dodo, DL – Biraghi, DC – Igor, DC – Milenkovic, MC – Amrabat, MC – Bonaventura, MC – Castrovilli, AML – Brekalo, AMR – Gonzalez, AC – Cabral
Like their opponents, West Ham begun their Europa Conference League campaign in the Preliminary Playoff Round where they were drawn to face Danish side Viborg.
After qualifying for the Group Stage, West Ham were drawn into Group B alongside Belgian side Anderlecht, Romanians Steaua Bucharest and Danish side Silkeborg.
West Ham topped the group with maximum points from their six games earning a bye into the Round of 16 in the knockout phase.
Conference League Record – Played – 14, Won – 13, Drew – 1, Lost – 0, For – 33, Against – 8
Squad numbers shown in brackets.
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Attackers
Manager – David Moyes
Probable West Ham XI – (4-3-3) – GK – Areola, DR – Kehrer, DL – Cresswell, DC – Zouma, DC – Aguerd, DMC – Rice, MC – Paqueta, MC – Soucek, AMR – Bowen, AML – Benarahma, AC – Antonio
This should be a very exciting tie between a team that is unbeaten in this competition this season, drawing one and winning 13 of their 14 ties, against a team whose home form is markedly inferior to their away form.
In head to head games, the teams have met twice, Fiorentina winning both games 1-0 and I can see this final also being a somewhat edgy and cagey affair.
Both of these teams have saved their best performances of this season for this competition so it should be a close final.
My first bet to back is the draw, which is a 9/4 chance as I think both teams are well-matched and for the correct score, I would back the 1-1 option which is a 5/1 shot with bet365 Sport.
As for who will win, I would not be surprised to see penalties decide the outcome here and if that is the case, I would just about go with West Ham, but it is a 51/49 decision.
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