Fiorentina and West Ham will contest the second final of UEFA’s tertiary European competition on Wednesday. Prague’s Eden Arena will host the first meeting of these sides in a competitive fixture.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side have reached their second final of the season, and will look to improve from their 2-1 Coppa Italia defeat to Inter last month. Fiorentina wrapped up their Serie A season on Friday; defeating Sassuolo 3-1 away from home. A respectable eighth-place finish unfortunately wasn’t enough for European qualification next season, meaning victory on Wednesday is their last hope!
West Ham are experiencing a real ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ season – winning 93% of Conference League fixtures compared to 29% in the Premier League. Moyes’ boys were expected to push for European qualification via the Premier League this season, after consecutive finishes within the top seven. A relegation scrap – and eventual 14th place finish – is not what the fans expected. Defeat to a relegated Leicester City on the final day is hardly the best preparation for their first European final since 1965.
With both sides wearing similar shades of purple, there will be a kit clash – though as the designated home team, it’s la Viola of Fiorentina who have won the right to wear their home strip. West Ham will instead be donning their orange and white third kit. The Hammers have a great record in this seasons Conference League campaign when wearing their flaming jersey, with 3 wins and 1 draw in 4 outings.
Team News
There’s great news for both managers, as they have a near-complete squad to pick from. West Ham’s Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca is the only absence for David Moyes, as he’s sidelined following knee surgery. His compatriot Salvatore Sirigu is missing for Fiorentina, while Nicolás González’s involvement will be decided nearer the time.
Predicted Lineups
Fiorentina: Terracciano; Biraghi, Martínez, Milenković, Dodo; Mandragora, Amrabat; González, Bonaventura, Ikoné; Cabral
West Ham: Areola; Cresswell, Aguerd, Zouma, Kehrer; Souček, Rice; Benrahma, Paquetá, Bowen; Antonio
Where can I watch?
Kickoff at the Eden Arena is at 8pm UK time on Wednesday, 7 June 2023. The game will be shown live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate, with coverage starting at 6:30pm on both channels. It’ll also be shown for free on BT Sport’s YouTube channel.
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