Fiorentina will be hoping to avoid consecutive Europa Conference League final defeats when they take on Olympiacos at the AEK Arena on Wednesday night.
Lucas Beltrán’s late equaliser against Club Brugge in the semi-final secured a 1-1 draw for the Italians as they advanced to the final on a 4-3 aggregate score, having won the first leg 3-2 at home. Fiorentina will hope to add a second European trophy to its cabinet on Wednesday.
Speaking with UEFA ahead of the final, Vincenzo Italiano, Fiorentina’s manager, expressed delight at his team’s consecutive final appearance in European competition and hopes the team makes up for last year’s disappointment. “I hope our efforts, our hard work, and all the detailed attention we have given to this competition will bring us the cherry on the cake,” he said.
Olympiacos, on the other hand, will relish the thrill of winning their first-ever European final appearance on home soil. José Luis Mendilibar, the man who led Sevilla to Europa League success last season, oversaw a 6-2 aggregate victory over Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in the semi-final to advance to the final.
“We must keep a level head, treat it like any other game. The week leading up to the game will be as normal as possible. I never like to do anything differently just because it’s a big game,” Menilibar told UEFA ahead of the final.
“Olympiacos have that hunger to win, and if the youngsters (Olympiacos’ UEFA Youth League winners) can do it, why can’t we? We were underdogs against Ferencváros, Fenerbahçe and especially Aston Villa, and we found a way.”
