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West Ham are unbeaten in UECL
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Fiorentina are the competition's top scorers
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Amrabat fouls the key to 3/1 Bet Builder
Fiorentina v West Ham
Wednesday 07 June, 20:00
La Viola hoping to underline their renaissance
Sometimes you have to experience lows to really appreciate the highs, and that's certainly the case for Fiorentina and their fans. As recently as 2002, La Viola went into administration with spiralling debts that ran to tens of millions of dollars.
The club was refused a place in Serie B having tumbled out of the top flight, and they effectively ceased to exist.
A new version of Fiorentina emerged in the fourth tier of Italian football, and just over two decades later they are about to play their second cup final of this season.
US-Italian billionaire Rocco Commisso has found owning a Serie A club to be a frustrating endeavour at times, but his careful approach (he has stated several times he wants to make the club self-sufficient) is now reaping rewards.
Coach Vincenzo Italiano, who was in Serie C with Trapani just four years ago, is being linked to Italian champions Napoli after a stellar campaign.
Fiorentina finished eighth in Serie A and reached the final of the Coppa Italia, only to lose 2-1 to Inter. Italiano won promotion with Trapani, got Spezia into the top division and is now excelling with Fiorentina.
Fiorentina are the top scorers in the Europa Conference League, but they have had some strange displays in the competition. They won 4-1 at Lech Poznan in the knockout rounds, but sloppily went 3-0 down at home in the second leg, only to eventually recover.
Against Basel in the semi-finals, they lost 2-1 at home in the first leg, only to force extra time in Switzerland and then win the tie just seconds before the dreaded penalty shootout.
Italiano has been rotating his squad, and has no fresh injury concerns. He has plenty of attacking talent at his disposal, with Nicolas Gonzalez, Arthur Cabral and Luka Jovic all pushing for starts.
Hammers one result from history
It's been a stressful season for West Ham and their veteran manager David Moyes, but it could have the happiest of endings in Prague.
The Hammers staved off the threat of relegation with room to spare, and they have saved their best performances for the Europa Conference League, which could yield their first major trophy since 1980 and their first European success since 1965.
In the semi-finals, the Hammers won home and away against a talented AZ side, and they have won 13 of their 14 games in this competition. The closest they came to elimination was against Belgian side Gent in the quarter-finals, as they went 2-1 down on aggregate in the second leg, only to come roaring back with a second-half burst of three goals in ten minutes.
Moyes seems energised and excited by the chance to make history, and it appears he appreciates the support given to him by the club and the supporters in a tough campaign.
West Ham can perhaps draw upon their experiences of last season's run to the semi-finals of the Europa League, when they were edged out by eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt, but produced some impressive displays under pressure.
Skipper Declan Rice seems likely to disappear into the sunset after this final, and leading the club to a major European trophy would be the perfect finale.
He has been a true star of this tournament, and his solo goal against Gent at the London Stadium was one of the best UECL goals we've seen this term.
Gianluca Scamacca is certainly out injured, but Moyes has few problems to contend with outside of his absence. Alphonse Areola is expected to once again get the nod in goal in Europe.
Hammers can grab the spoils
While Fiorentina are capable of delivering excellent displays, they have also had some poor games in this competition, and they were underwhelming in the semis against Basel.
There's no doubt that La Viola will provide West Ham with their sternest test of the competition so far, but I still think a talented and well-drilled Hammers team can find a way to win.
I'll back West Ham to win the Europa Conference League at 1.9520/21. They finished the Premier League season fairly strongly (they held Arsenal to a draw, beat Manchester United and smashed Bournemouth) and they have performed consistently in this competition.
Arthur has been King of the Conference League
Fiorentina striker Arthur Cabral has been the tournament's joint-top scorer with seven goals, and I'm happy to back him to have a shot on target here as part of a Bet Builder at 3/14.00. Cabral averages 1.26 shots on target per 90 in Serie A this term, where he scored eight goals.
I'll add in West Ham/Draw Double Chance, Over 6.5 Corners and Sofyan Amrabat to commit two fouls or more. The Moroccan midfield machine was in Serie A's top six when it comes to fouls committed, and he'll face an intriguing battle with the likes of Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta.