A place in next season’s Europa League is the extra incentive for West Ham United and Fiorentina when they clash to become only the second ever European Conference League winners on Wednesday night. Bookmakers are undecided on which of David Moyes Hammers or Vincenzo Italiano’s La Viola are favourites to triumph in Prague, Czech Republic. West Ham United were losing semifinalists in last season’s Europa League but have gone one step better by reaching their first European final since 1976.
The 1965 Uefa European Cup Winners Cup titlists are seeking their first silverware since winning the last of three FA Cups in 1980. Manager Moyes has shaken off a poor domestic campaign in which the expensively assembled Londoners flirted with relegation to lead the Hammers to within ninety minutes of football nirvana. Standing in their way will be a Fiorentina outfit that were unlucky to lose the Coppa Italia final to Champions League finalists Inter Milan last month.
1961 Uefa Cup winners Fiorentina have batted away speculation linking Italiano to the position vacated by Luciano Spalletti to concentrate on practicing for penalties in case they are needed to separate the two sides. Fans are hoping for a much more entertaining affair after last week’s Europa League final between AS Roma and Sevilla was marked by incessant gamesmanship with a total of fifteen players and officials booked.
The match could be the final game for Hammers captain Declan Rice, who has been many a pundits Premier League team of the season despite the Hammers’ lowly 14th position. The England international has attracted the interest of Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Fiorentina were eighth in Italy’s Serie A, with their well defined style built around the midfield wherewithal of much sought after Moroccan star Sofyane Amrabat and creative park of Nicholas Gonzalez.
Winners of the Europa Conference League final are to get anything upwards of €12.5m (€5m in prize money for the final alone) in accumulated earnings over the duration of the tournament. It is a far cry from the riches of Champions League football but guarantees clubs gate collections at two games per week for much of the season.
WEDNESDAY
West Ham United v Fiorentina
