Olympiacos vs Fiorentina Preview

After several battles, the 2023/24 UEFA Europa Conference League winner will be decided this Wednesday when Olympiacos Piraeus face Fiorentina at the AEK Arena in Athens, Greece.

This game will feel like a home game for Olympiacos given that their home of Piraeus is located only roughly 9km away from Athens. The Greek side should be buoyed by this and confident that they can make the most of this match which is their first-ever European final.

Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side head into this showpiece event in good form having lost just two of their last 12 competitive matches (W8, D2). Part of those wins came against Aston Villa who they beat 6-2 on aggregate in the semi-final to qualify for this final.

However, a record of six defeats from their last seven games against Italian opposition (W1) makes for unenviable reading for Olympiacos fans. But Mendilibar, who was appointed in February, also guided Sevilla to Europa League success last season so fans of the Greek giants should be confident that the Spanish manager knows how to get the job done.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina will be looking to avoid another European heartache when they face Olympiacos in Athens. The Italian side finished runners-up in the Conference League last season after agonisingly losing the final to West Ham.

Winning here will banish last season’s pain and end a 63-year wait to bring major European silverware back to Tuscany’s biggest club. Although there may be nerves and desperation from Fiorentina fans, La Viola should fancy their chances here given that they have lost just one of their last seven games (W4, D2).

Vincenzo Italiano’s men also enter this contest unbeaten in 13 European matches (W7, D6) – the longest such run in their history making them favourites to lift the trophy. However, they have not won any of their last three matches against Greek opponents (D2, L1), albeit those three games were all against the same opponent (PAOK).