On Wednesday evening, the small and compact Eden Arena in Prague will welcome two clubs that are well-supported but rarely seen in European finals, in the form of Fiorentina of Italy and West Ham of England.
Historically, Fiorentina can boast of more success on the continent. The Florence-based club have now become the first side to reach the final of all four major UEFA knockout competitions. In three out of four of the finals, Fiorentina have lost with heavy defeats to the European giants of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus. However, the only time La Viola played British opposition they triumphed 4-1 against Rangers in 1961.
Parallels can be drawn to that final between Fiorentina and Rangers 62 years ago and the final that will take place on Wednesday. In that game, Rangers represented the first British team to ever reach a European final while West Ham will represent the first British team to ever reach a Europa Conference League final.
Fiorentina go into Wednesday’s final off the back of a Serie A season that has seen them finish eighth, 5 points behind 7th placed Juventus, who claimed the last European space.
Meanwhile, West Ham also need to win the silverware to play in Europe next season, after they had a disappointing domestic campaign, finishing in 14th position and just six points above the relegation zone.
However, it is important to note the impeccable form of West Ham in Europe. The Hammers have won 11 out of 12 of their European fixtures this season, only drawing against Genk in a tie they would eventually win 5-2. The West London club went unbeaten in the group and have looked comfortable throughout the tournament against their various European opposition.
Fiorentina have also shown good form in Europe, as clearly demonstrated by their run to the final, with four wins out of a possible six in the group stage as well as respective 5-1, 7-3 and 4-3 aggregate results to reach the final.
In the West Ham camp, Scottish manager David Moyes will preside over the tie in his first major final since his then side, Everton, lost 2-1 to Chelsea. Moyes has had previous experience managing both Manchester United and Everton in Europe’s competitions as well as leading West Ham to a Europa League semi-final last year, where they lost to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt.
In charge of La Viola is Vincenzo Italiano, who will take charge of his 104th match in the Fiorentina dugout after two impressive seasons that has seen them finish 7th and 8th respectively.
In addition, Italiano led his side to this year’s Coppa Italia final where after taking a three minute lead they eventually lost 2-1 to fellow European finalists, Inter Milan. Therefore, both Fiorentina and their manager will be very keen to put their wrongs to right and win a significant and much-desired trophy.
Free-scoring Fiorentina will pose dangers
While La Viola cannot boast the sturdiest defence, the Italian side can talk with pride about their goalscoring record. Italiano’s side are the seventh highest scorers in Serie A and were the joint highest scorers in their group stage, scoring 14 across six games. In addition, the Italian side are the highest scorers in the Conference League, with 36 goals scored across their 14 games, including qualifiers.
Important players at the goalscoring end of the pitch include Arthur Cabral, who has scored 17 goals in all competitions this season, with seven scored in Europe. Meanwhile, former Real Madrid player Luka Jović has hit the back of the net 13 times, with six of the goals coming in the Conference League.
Another significant player in the Fiorentina attack includes Nicolás González. The Argentine player, who scored three goals and assisted one in Argentina’s World Cup qualifying run, narrowly missed out on their World Cup squad after suffering an injury throughout the months of November and December.
The left winger, however, has put that firmly out of his mind, with the player continuing his good form. The Argentine, who already has a Copa América to his name, has scored 5 goals and assisted three in Europe, as well as seven-goal contributions in Serie A.
González will be vital in the Fiorentina frontline with his attacking creativity and knack for scoring important goals, with the Argentine already scoring two goals in the second leg against Basel to send his side to Prague.
West Ham’s defensive solidity the backbone on their run to the final
For The Hammers, a common denominator in their European success has been a solid defence that has kept eight clean sheets in 14 matches. The West Ham backline has only conceded seven goals throughout the competition, whilst their opposition has conceded double that amount.
The preferred centre-back partnership this season has been Moroccan international Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma, who have excelled on the pitch to ensure that West Ham, who do not always score a significant number of goals, have still had a superb season.
The centre-backs have also been aided by veterans 33-year-old Craig Dawson and 35-year-old Italian Angelo Ogbonna. For Ogbonna, Fiorentina will be a familiar face with the player making 55 appearances for La Viola’s rivals Juventus, where he won two league titles and the Italian Cup, as well as making 160 appearances for Torino.
If West Ham are to triumph in Wednesday’s final, all of the defensive guile and experience of their backline will be required as they seek to stop the highest scorers in the competition.
Declan Rice’s last game in a West Ham shirt?
Another story approaching Wednesday’s final is the likelihood that the game represents Declan Rice’s last in the claret and blue of West Ham. The 24-year-old midfielder has established himself as a fan favourite over the past few seasons, becoming the most significant player in David Moyes’ side.
In the process, the Englishman has attracted interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Bayern Munich, who are all likely to strongly explore the possibility of bringing him to their respective sides. Rice has risen through the ranks at West Ham, developing in their U18 and U21 setups with the player now in a position where has made over 244 appearances for his boyhood club.
The midfielder has made ten appearances in the Conference League this season, with the majority limited to off the bench as Moyes looked to conserve the player for the Premier League. However, the Englishman has still arguably scored one of the best goals of the tournament against Genk.
The midfielder picked the ball up in his West Ham’s half before running three-quarters of the length of the pitch, swivelling past two Genk players before expertly driving a low left-footed shot into the far corner to seal West Ham’s entry to the semi-final.
With the final fast approaching, West Ham’s Declan Rice will be keen to bow out in style and lift a trophy with his beloved boyhood club.