Olympiacos Piraeus vs Fiorentina prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-05-28 19:00.
[p]All eyes will turn to the AEK Arena in Athens, Greece, when Olympiacos face Fiorentina in this season’s UEFA Europa Conference League final. Given their home of Piraeus is located only roughly 9km away from Athens, this will feel like a home game for Olympiacos which should alleviate the nerves of entering their inaugural continental final. [/p]
[p]A record of six defeats from their last seven against Italian opposition (W1) makes for unenviable reading, but José Luis Mendilibar’s side head into this showpiece event in good form, tasting defeat in just two of their last 12 competitive matches (W8, D2). Mendilibar, who was appointed in February, also guided Sevilla to Europa League success last season, so fans of the Greek giants should be confident they have a manager in charge who knows how to get the job done. [/p]
[p]While Mendilibar will have fond memories from 12 months ago, it was a contrasting story for those associated with Fiorentina as La Viola finished runners-up after agonisingly losing the final of this competition to West Ham. They could not only banish that pain with a win here, but also end what is a 63-year wait to bring major European silverware back to Tuscany’s biggest club. [/p]
[p]Just one of the past seven competitive outings for Vincenzo Italiano’s men ended in a loss (W4, D2), and perhaps having benefited from the experience of reaching last year’s final, the Serie A side enter this contest unbeaten in 13 European matches (W7, D6) – the longest such run in their history – and as favourites to lift the trophy. They are without a win in their last three matches against a Greek opponent (D2, L1), albeit those three games were all against the same opponent (PAOK).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Olympiacos’ Ayoub El Kaabi is the top scorer in this season's Europa Conference League with 15 goals from 18 European games while Fiorentina’s Giacomo Bonaventura scored their opener in their last league outing, as well in last season’s Conference League final.
[p]Hot stat: Olympiacos’ last five competitive goals were all registered beyond the 60th minute. [/p]