The Europa Conference League is up for grabs as Olympiacos takes on Fiorentina in a bid for European glory.
The Conference Kings
Fiorentina were foiled at this stage 12 months ago at the hands of West Ham, can they go one better in just a few hours?
One Step Better
With one of the major European pieces of silverware already being handed out for this season, this week will see the other two awarded and although most of the eyes will be on Wembley this weekend, there is also midweek glory that is up for grabs.
Glory that comes in the shape of the Europa Conference League final and as the Greek city of Athens plays host to such a showpiece event, it is all but a home clash for one of this season’s finalists.
Although Olympiacos are based in the port of Piraeus, the distance from where the Greek shipping magnates hang out to Greece’s capital is no more than 9km. 25 minutes in the car and fans of this particular club will be sitting in usually enemy territory.
However, the location of AEK Athens’ OPAP Arena will be viewed in far more friendly circumstances by José Luis Mendilibar’s men and after overseeing the exit of Aston Villa in the semi-finals, the Spaniard will be eyeing up outright continental success for his employers.
If that is to be the case, then he and his players will need to get the better of Fiorentina and for those who follow European finals with keen interest, they will certainly remember what happened in the 2022/23 edition of the Conference League’s main game.
La Viola paired against West Ham in Prague and with the clock ticking down its final few seconds, Jarrod Bowen discovered the freedom of the Fortuna Arena to slot home a dramatic winner. Delirium for David Moyes but vulnerability for Vincenzo Italiano as his managerial counterpart.
Then again, that cruel defeat just 12 months ago has only lit a fire under Italiano and the Italian outfit and undeterred by falling short at the final hurdle, Fiorentina are determined to cross the finishing line first this time around.
Admittedly their path to Athens has not been the most difficult, but that comes with being one of the tournament favourites before a ball was even kicked and there is no doubt that their semi-final tie with Club Brugge was their most difficult test to date.
A 3-2 home win for Fiorentina in the first leg was only just secured in the 91st minute and with M’Bala Nzola’s winner giving them an advantage to take to Belgium the following week, a 1-1 draw and one with a late equaliser from the spot to boot, was enough to break Club Brugge’s hearts.
But now it is time for the first of my two tips and with the way that Olympiacos made light work of Aston Villa in the semi-finals, I believe they will carry that momentum through to the final. Less travel time will also be a factor and I have factored this into my 90 minute win at odds of 21/10.
In addition to this, Wolves supporters may remember the talents of Daniel Podence and I going to back the former Molineux man to put the exclamation mark on Olympiakos’s win with the final goal of the game and this outcome is priced at 10/1.
