The UEFA Europa Conference League will be on the line when Olympiacos and Fiorentina lock horns at the OPAP Arena in Athens on Wednesday.
Olympiacos have not been at their best in their recent outings, and they have picked up just one win from the last three matches ahead of the UEFA Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina on Wednesday. They will need to improve in order to grind out a priceless win in the final against the Italian outfit here.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina finished as the runners-just up last year, and they will look to win the competition this time around. The Italian outfit are coming into this game on the back of just two wins from their last five matches in all competitions. They will need to raise their performance levels to win the tournament.
Olympiacos will be up for this one, and it will be interesting to see which of the two sides come out on top here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.
Team News & Tactics
Olympiacos
Olympiacos have a fully fit squad to choose from apart from the injured Doron Leidner, who misses out due to a long-term knee injury. The Greek outfit are likely to shape up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Konstantinos Tzolakis in goal.
In the back four, Rodinei and Francisco Ortega will start as the full-backs. They will look to keep things compact defensively and help out in the attack. Panagiotis Retsos and David Carmo will start as the two central defenders.
As for the midfield unit, Vicente Iborra will start alongside Santiago Hezze and Chiquinho. They will look to add defensive cover and control in the middle of the park. Konstantinos Fortounis and Daniel Podence will add pace and flair from the wide areas in the attack. Finally, Ayoub El-Kaabi will lead the line for Olympiacos against Fiorentina.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Tzolakis; Rodinei, Carmo, Retsos, Ortega; Iborra, Hezze, Chiquinho; Fortounis, El-Kaabi, Podence
Fiorentina
Fiorentina do not have any major injury problems heading into this game. Riccardo Sottil is ruled out for the season with a collarbone fracture. Meanwhile, Pietro Terracciano will start in goal for La Viola on Wednesday.
The backline should feature Michael Kayode and Fabiano Parisi will start as the full-backs. Lucas Martinez Quarta will start at the heart of the Fiorentina defence alongside Nikola Milenkovic against Olympiacos.
As for the midfield unit, Rolando Mandragora will start alongside Arthur in the double pivot. The duo will look to add defensive cover and control to the side. Nicolas Gonzalez and Gaetano Castrovilli will add pace and flair to the side. Meanwhile, Antonin Barak will provide creativity from the central areas. Finally, M’Bala Nzola will spearhead the Fiorentina attack against Olympiacos.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Terracciano; Kayode, Martinez, Milenkovic, Parisi; Mandragora, Arthur; Gonzalez, Barak, Castrovilli; Nzola
Key Stats
- Fiorentina are unbeaten in each of their last 13 games in Europe (W7 D6).
- Ayoub El-Kaabi is the leading goalscorer across major European competitions this season with 13 goals.
- Olympiacos have lost six of their last seven matches in European competition against Italian opposition.
- Fiorentina have just one win in their five previous meetings with Greek opposition in Europe (D3 L1).
Player to Watch
Nicolas Gonzalez
The Argentine international is our key player to watch out for. The 25-year-old has been in impressive form this season, scoring 12 goals in all competitions. He will look to get on the scoresheet here and open up opportunities for his teammates with his flair and link-up play.
Gonzalez has done quite well this season, and he will look to make a defining impact in Fiorentina’s biggest game of the season.
Prediction
Olympiacos 1-2 Fiorentina
This will be a cracking contest, and it will be interesting to see which team emerges victorious here. Neither side are in top form coming into the game, and an evenly contested affair is on the cards.
Fiorentina will know all about the heartbreak of losing a final of this magnitude, and they will look to deliver here. They have the better set of players, and a narrow win for the Italian outfit seems likely. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 victory for Vincenzo Italiano and his charges.