Europa Conference League final: West Ham look to end European trophy drought in Fiorentina test
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Europa Conference League final: Fiorentina v West Ham betting tips
West Ham will get the chance of lifting a European trophy tonight when they face Fiorentina for the first time in the Europa Conference League final in Prague.
The Hammers reached their first European final in 47 years with a 3-1 aggregate victory over AZ Alkmaar and start as 31/20 favourites to beat the Italians inside 90 minutes and land a first major continental trophy since winning the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965.
It promises to be a fascinating encounter in Prague where both teams are 17/20 to lift the trophy as we pick out some Fiorentina v West Ham betting tips for the game.
Hot Hammers look to vanquish Viola
David Moyes’ side reached the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League last season, but 12 months later have gone one better on the back of an almost perfect record during the group and knockout stage.
Including their qualifier against Viborg, West Ham won 13 of their 14 matches, with their only ‘blip’ a 1-1 draw in Gent in the quarter-finals.
Fiorentina’s run to the final was not as smooth, finishing runner-up to Istanbul Basaksehir on head-to-head goal difference in the group stage and dispatching Braga, Sivasspor and Lech Poznan comfortably in the knockout phase despite a scare against the Poles in the second leg of their quarter-final.
The 2023 Europa Conference League final is set ✅
Who you got? 🤔#UECLfinal pic.twitter.com/JItYBhj2Y3
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) May 18, 2023
La Viola hit a bump in the road during the semi-finals when they surprisingly lost 2-1 at home to Basel in the first leg and needed Nico Gonzalez’s second goal of the game in the final quarter of the second leg to force extra time.
With penalties looming, substitute Antonin Barak dramatically struck in the 129th minute to fire Fiorentina into their first European final since they lost to Juventus in the 1990 UEFA Cup.
Despite their success in Europe, both teams have had disappointing domestic seasons, although Fiorentina’s 2-1 win against Roma last time out means they are heading for a top-half finish, unlike the Hammers who concluded their campaign in 14th spot following a 2-1 defeat at Leicester on the final day.
— West Ham United (@WestHam) May 24, 2023
West Ham had been in danger of relegation for much of the campaign, but turned their form around with three wins in April plus a draw against title contenders Arsenal.
Fiorentina have no chance of playing in Europe next season unless they win this competition which would secure automatic qualification for the group stage of the Europa League.
Seven points taken from their last three matches mean they could finish as high as eighth or as low as 11th, but they are the top scorers in the Europa Conference League, netting a competition-high 36 goals, nine more than West Ham, the next most prolific team.
It will come as no surprise that four Viola players are in the top six for goals. Brazilian Arthur Cabral’s seven put him in a share of top spot with Basel’s Zeki Amdouuni, one more than Luka Jovic and a couple ahead of team-mates Barak and Gonzalez, so they have the firepower to worry the Hammers.
AC9.#UECL pic.twitter.com/2CtXCtExpr
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) May 24, 2023
Fiorentina’s last five games in this competition involved goals at both ends and rather than pick a winner, we’ll go for both teams to score and at least three goals at 6/4 as the first of our Fiorentina v West Ham betting tips.
With an open game expected, both teams to score in the first half also has its attractions at 21/5.
The Italians have scored in the opening 45 minutes in 10 of their last 12 Europa Conference League games and West Ham have conceded in the first half in four of their last five matches in all competitions.
At much bigger odds, both teams to score in both halves can be backed at 16/1. Admittedly, neither team has achieved that in this competition, but Fiorentina have done it on three occasions in Serie A, most recently in a 3-3 draw with Salernitana in the first week of May.
The Hammers also scored and conceded in both halves recently, a 4-3 defeat at Crystal Palace having done so in a 2-2 draw with Leeds in their first match of the new year.
In what is expected to be a close encounter, either team to win on penalties or extra time is 4/1 or 11/2 respectively.
Match Info
Where: Fortuna Arena, Prague
When: 20.00, Wednesday 7th June
How to watch: BT Sport
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
