Olympiakos vs Fiorentina: UEFA Europa Conference League Final Preview
Olympiakos vs Fiorentina: UEFA Europa Conference League Final Preview
By Stephen Kountourou
UEFA Conference League Final: 29/05/24
Kick-off Time: 22:00 Greek Time
Venue: Agia Sophia Stadium
Where to Watch: Cosmote Sport 1 HD
Is it finally our time?
In 12 years of supporting Olympiakos, I have witnessed unmitigated success that most football supporters can only dream of. Eight league titles, three Greek Cups, three domestic doubles and victories over giants in European football including Manchester United, Arsenal, Benfica, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, and AC Milan just to name a few.
Yet, before this season, there was always a sense of untapped potential for what Thrylos could be capable of on the international stage. Always so close to a potential run in European competition, only to be defeated by an underdog, or becoming the makers of our downfall at the crucial moments, poor refereeing, losing on away goals or having an aggregate score overturned. You name it.
The jealousy I have felt seeing teams surpass us to get their moment of glory, and the feeling of what could have been. But this season is different. We have finally seen our club do what no other senior Greek side has done since 1971 and reach a major European final.
While Fiorentina are undoubtedly the favourites, having reached their second consecutive Conference League final under Vincenzo Italiano, anything is possible for Mendilibar’s men. With iterations of our team not achieving their full potential outside of Greece, now it is our time to dream bigger.
Last time in the UECL
Olympiakos
After shocking Aston Villa to a 2-4 victory away at Villa Park, Thrylos booked their place in the UEFA Conference League Final with a 2-0 in front of a pulsating Karaiskakis crowd. Ayoub El Kaabi, the hero once again against the Villains in Piraeus, scored a brace and five goals in total over two legs, making him the top scorer out of all three UEFA continental competitions.
Even with the tie in their hands going back to Greece, nothing was guaranteed yet. Aston Villa, a side who were the favourites for the Conference League and within touching distance of finishing in the top 4 to qualify for the Champions League, were more than capable of staging a comeback.
To everyone’s surprise, however, Unai Emery set up his team in a very defensive 5-4-1 formation, in the hope of hitting Olympiakos on the counter-attack. This played right into the home side's hands, as Thrylos were content with Villa having much of the possession and countering themselves, which is exactly how the first goal was scored.
Podence, at the edge of the box, passed to an overlapping Quini whose low cross went through the Villa defence and straight to the feet of El Kaabi and the Moroccan slotted home to make it 1-0 in the first ten minutes.
An injury hit Villa's side struggled for much of the game to create more than a few half chances, with some excellent defending from centre-back partners Panos Retsos and David Carmo as well as the alert Kostas Tzolakis in goal.
The Greek U21s captain created the assist for the winning goal late on in the second half, booting the ball long to find El Kaabi being Villa’s offside trap to score, doubling the Piraeus side’s lead. After an initial check for offside by VAR, the goal was given.
With the tie essentially over, Olympiakos achieved one of the greatest victories in the club's history. Piraeus was rocking and the players celebrated with them. Jose Luis Mendilibar, the genius turn the club around in three months, had taken them to their first European final.
Fiorentina
Vincenzo Italiano’s side took on Belgian team Club Brugge and, despite some shaky moments, managed to reach their second consecutive UEFA Conference League final 4-3 on aggregate.
The first leg in the Stadio Artemio Franchi was a dominant display, with Fiorentina registering 31 shots in total. The 3-2 victory at home still required the Belgians, who were unrelenting throughout despite being second best, to go down to ten men and concede a goal in added time for the Serie A side to take their slim lead to Brugge in the return leg.
Like the first leg, Fiorentina had the lion's share of chances with 21 shots. Brugge however struck first, as captain Hans Vernaken scored after 20 minutes to level the tie. As full-time drew nearer it seemed as though extra time was inevitable.
The Italian side were saved from the extra 30 minutes of play and penalties, thanks to Lucas Beltrán scoring from the spot in the 85th minute, ultimately sending Fiorentina to the final for the second year in a row.
All or Nothing
Three months ago, when the Basque coach arrived in Piraeus, Olympiakos’ season felt all but over. Well adrift of the title race, and looking mentally fragile going into the Europa Conference League playoffs against Ferencvaros, the turnaround has been nothing short of magnificent.
Although Thrylos just missed out on the Greek Super League title, with PAOK going on to finish the season as champions, the return to a higher standard in the league under Mendilibar was evident.
In Europe, what more can you say? Two victories over the Hungarian side, a miraculous turnaround against Maccabi Tel Aviv, the penalty shootout against Fenerbache and dominating tournament favourites Aston Villa over two legs to reach the final in Athens. This will go down in Thrylos folklore as the greatest run in the club's nearly 100-year history.
No matter what happens in the final, win or lose, Jose Luis Mendilibar and the players have achieved an incredible feat, in such a short space of time. They have made the supporters proud.
Fiorentina in Agia Sophia will be the toughest game these Olympiakos players have ever and will ever compete in. Finalist the previous season, having just lost out to West Ham United in Prague, the Italian side will want to right the wrongs of last campaign and lift the Conference League in Athens.
But for Thrylos, it will be like a home game in their rivals, AEK Athens, ground and this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the club and this crop of players to achieve something no Greek senior men's team has done before.
They must take inspiration from the U19s, who only a couple of months ago against all odds, won the UEFA Youth League. It is the final game of the season, the biggest match of the campaign and the most important in the history of Olympiakos Sýndesmos Filáthlon Piraeus.
@SteveKountourou
Hellas Football
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