Olympiacos are looking for a historic win in the Europa Conference League final

Olympiacos are the third club to win the Europa Conference League after beating Fiorentina in a thrilling final on Wednesday night at the Agia Sophia Stadium, Athens.
Ayoub El Kaabi’s 11th European goal of the season – his 33rd in all competitions – was the only difference between the sides with just four minutes remaining in extra time.
Defeated in last season’s final against West Ham United, Fiorentina’s hearts are broken again as they continue their hunt for their first continental trophy since lifting the defunct Cup Winners’ Cup in 1961.
But Olympiacos, who defeated Aston Villa in the last four of the Champions League, made history for themselves and all of Greek football. No Greek team has ever lifted a major European trophy before, Panathinaikos back in 1971 being the only team to even reach the final.
Although the possession was all there, many chances fell to a wasteful Fiorentina.
Olympiacos threatened first when Daniel Podence, on loan from Wolves, forced Pietro Terracciano into a save inside the first four minutes – the Fiorentina goalkeeper later denied the same player with a near-post header later in the first half. La Viola then found the ball in the net with only nine minutes on the clock, but VAR intervened and ruled that Nikola Milenkovic was offside.
OLYMPIACOS LEAD IN 115 MINUTES! 💥
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– Football on TNT Sports (@footballantnt) May 29, 2024
Giacomo Bonaventura, frustrated at being left out of Italy’s Euro 2024 squad, did himself no justice when a hard-hitting effort went straight to Olympiacos stopper Konstantinos Tzolakis, who also cleared his line to deny Andrea. Belotti a moment later.
Fiorentina continued to press but often missed the target, with little change in the pattern of play in the second half. They should have been paid for their brutality as with only ten minutes remaining Vicente Iborra’s header came inches from putting Olympiacos ahead.
Olympiacos veteran Stevan Jovetic went close in extra time against the club where he made his name more than a decade ago. Tired legs threatened to open things up, but as penalties approached it didn’t go down well for Fiorentina given their poor record from there this season.
They didn’t have to worry because it didn’t come that much. As usual for Olympiacos, El Kaabi was there when it mattered and, after five goals over two legs in the semi-final, he pounced on Santiago Hezze’s near-post cross to head beyond Terracciano. There was a lengthy VAR check for possible offside, but the confirmation of the goal was greeted with roars from the Olympiacos players, bench and home crowd in Athens, as it was again after the final whistle.