Olympiacos vs Fiorentina LIVE!
The Europa Conference League final takes centre stage tonight as the Greek giants take on their Italian counterparts in Athens, at the home of Olympiacos’ rivals AEK. Fiorentina are looking to make it second time lucky after losing last year’s final to West Ham in the final minute.
The final is just 10 miles from Olympiacos’ stadium, so perhaps are level of home advantage is at play but I Viola will be ready to spoil any party. Ayoub El Kaabi is the big threat for the Italians, having scored a remarkable 15 goals in the competition this season, while head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar, only appointed in February, is looking to win back-to-back continental cups after claiming the Europa League with Sevilla last season.
Fiorentina head coach Vincenzo Italiano is taking charge of his penultimate game before departing, and can guide the club to only their second European triumph in their history and the first since the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1961. History is perhaps on their side, with the last four teams to contest a European final on home soil lost. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog.
Olympiacos vs Fiorentina latest updates
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Kick-off time: 8pm BST, AEK Arena in Athens
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How to watch for FREE: TNT Sports
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Olympiacos team news: Midfield decisions
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Fiorentina team news: Bonaventura to start
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Score prediction: Fiorentina to make amends
Olympiacos vs Fiorentina prediction
18:16 , Alex Young
This game has all the ingredients for a thrilling finale, with high-scoring Olympiacos backed by what is expected to be a largely Greek crowd, taking on a Fiorentina team desperate to avoid back-to-back showpiece defeats.
Olympiacos either score a shedload or lose, it appears, having lost to the likes of Maccabi Tel Aviv and Fenerbache in the knockout stages before thumping Aston Villa 6-2.
Fiorentina, remarkably, have not lost since their opening game of the competition way back in August. Can they make amends for last season’s defeat to West Ham in the final? We think so.
Fiorentina to win, 2-1.
Predicted lineups
18:02 , Alex Young
Predicted Olympiacos XI: Tzolakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega; Hezze, Horta, Chiquinho; Podence, El Kaabi, Fortounis
Predicted Fiorentina XI: Terracciano; Dodo, Milenkovic, Martinez, Biraghi; Mandragora, Arthur; Gonzalez, Beltran, Kouame; Belott
Fiorentina team news
17:52 , Alex Young
Fiorentina’s big decision comes in midfield too, as Giacomo Bonaventura makes his case to start the final.
Arthur Melo, Rolando Mandragora and Lucas Beltran are perhaps best placed to form up in the centre of the park.
Vincenzo Italiano is only without the injured winger Riccardo Sottil and unregistered Gaetano Castrovilli, who is only just back from a long-term knee injury.
The Italians boast a settled line-up, spearheaded by Andrea Belotti up front.
Olympiacos team news
17:45 , Alex Young
Olympiacos are pondering whether to hand Vicente Iborra a starting berth or holding the 36-year-old in reserve to appear off the bench in Athens, which would keep Andre Horta in the team.
Francisco Ortega’s spot in the line-up is also in doubt due to injury and former Nottingham Forest left-back Omar Richards is primed to step into the team should he miss out.
A number of Olympiacos players are unregistered for the Conference League, including Nelson Abbey, a January signing from Reading, and veteran winger Gelson Martins, both of whom were on the bench for their draw at Panathinaikos on the final day of the Greek league season.
Former Manchester City striker Stevan Jovetic came off the bench to score in that game but will be back among the substitutes against Fiorentina.
Chiquinho will return from a domestic suspension.
Where to watch Olympiacos vs Fiorentina
17:38 , Alex Young
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting at 7pm BST for an 8pm kick-off.
Live stream: The final will be free to watch online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Welcome
17:30 , Alex Young
Good evening and welcome to the Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Europa Conference League Final.
It’s Olympiacos vs Fiorentina in Athens as the European domestic season nears its conclusion.
The Greek giants are playing just 10 miles from their own stadium, so perhaps a touch of home advantage at play this evening – though, as I will explain later, that is not always a positive.
Fiorentina have reached their second Conference League final in a row, looking to make amends after losing to West Ham 12 months ago.
Kick-off is at 8pm BST. Stick with us.
