Europa Conference League final tips: Olympiacos vs Fiorentina best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Europa Conference League final
1pt Ayoub El Kaabi to score anytime at 12/5 (Unibet)
*All bets 90 minutes only
BuildABet @ 35/1
- Both teams to score
- Ayoub El Kaabi to score anytime
- Cristiano Biraghi to be shown a card
- Quini to be shown a card
Vying to put last season's heartbreak behind them, Fiorentina pit their wits against Olympiacos in the Europa Conference League final but there is a catch. Wednesday’s match is in Athens, just a stone's throw away from the Greek giants’ home in Piraeus.
Having left Maccabi Haifa, Viktoria Plzen and Club Brugge in their wake, Fiorentina must now beat Olympiacos in their own backyard.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side were beaten in the first leg of their play-off round but have not lost in the 13 games since which goes a little way to explaining why the Italians are the favourites here. Given the logistics of this matchup, maybe it should be more of a pick’em though.
Olympiacos put six past ante-post favourites Aston Villa in the semi-final. With more than a week to prepare for the final and the backing of their fans, they will come into this brimming with confidence.
What are the best bets?
Olympiacos also have one of the hottest strikers on the continent.
No player has netted more goals in any European competition this term than AYOUB EL KAABI (13).
The Moroccan hit five across two legs in the semi-finals, doubling his total in the knockout stages alone.
At the prices available, backing him TO SCORE ANYTIME has to be the bet.
With 30 goals across 45 appearances and a goals per 90 average of 0.88, El Kaabi’s price to score is simply too big.
Fiorentina’s tactical approach could also play right into the hands of the Moroccan.
Italiano’s side are possession based and try to keep the ball as deep into the opposition's half as possible. This has to be combined with a high and aggressive defensive line, not too dissimilar to the one Aston Villa deploy.
El Kaabi was devastating against the Villans as his pace and clinical finishing punished Unai Emery's side five times over.
🤍❤️ All 🔟 of Ayoub El Kaabi's goals in the competition this season 😮💨#UECLfinal || @olympiacosfc pic.twitter.com/KP8IdycoSm
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) May 27, 2024
Team news
With nine days in between Olympiacos' last game and the final, manager Jose Luis Mendilibar should have a fully fit squad at his disposal.
Ex-Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic is back available for the Greek side though he is unlikely to start against his former club. Ayoub El Kaabi will spearhead the attack with Daniel Podence and Kostas Fortounis operating behind.
Wolves loanee Podence was sent off in his side's last game but is eligible for the final.
As for Fiorentina, second guessing manager Italiano’s next line-up is nigh on impossible. He has only named the same starting line-up in back-to-back games once in three years at the club.
M’Bala Nzola is vying for a spot up top against Andrea Belotti - with a goal and an assist in his last three starts the former should get the nod on Wednesday.
In Viola’s last Serie A match of the season Italiano started with Arthur, Lucas Beltran, Christian Kouama and Nico Gonzalez on the bench but I expect to see the big hitters from the off in Athens.
Predicted line-ups
Olympiacos: Tzolakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Quini; Hezze, Iborra; Fortounis, Chiquinho, Podence; El Kaabi
Fiorentina: Terracciano; Dodo, Milenkovic, Martinez Quarta, Biraghi; Arthur, Mandragora; Gonzalez, Beltran, Kouame; Nzola
Odds correct at 1150 BST (28/05/24)
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