2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final

The 2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final was more than just a match; it was a clash of destinies, a battle for history. Held in Athens, it pitted Greece's Olympiacos against Italy's Fiorentina in a thrilling encounter. One club sought its first European glory, while the other yearned for redemption, setting the stage for an unforgettable night of football. Olympiacos achieved a historic first, becoming the first Greek club to win a major European trophy. Fiorentina faced a heartbreaking repeat, losing their second consecutive Europa Conference League final. The match was decided in extra time by a solitary goal, underscoring the high stakes and defensive resolve of both teams.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

The 2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final was more than just a match; it was a clash of destinies, a battle for history. Held in Athens, it pitted Greece's Olympiacos against Italy's Fiorentina in a thrilling encounter. One club sought its first European glory, while the other yearned for redemption, setting the stage for an unforgettable night of football.

A Night of Destiny in Athens

On May 29, 2024, the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens, Greece, became the crucible for European club football's tertiary crown. The 2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final saw Greek giants Olympiacos face off against Italy's determined Fiorentina.

After a grueling ninety minutes and into extra time, a single, decisive header from Ayoub El Kaabi secured a 1-0 victory for Olympiacos. This wasn't just a win; it was history, marking the club's first European title and making them the first Greek team ever to hoist a UEFA trophy.

Olympiacos: Chasing a Dream

This final was a momentous occasion for Olympiacos — their very first appearance in a European final. It was also only the second time a Greek team had reached such a stage, the first being Panathinaikos in the 1971 European Cup final, which they ultimately lost to the legendary Ajax.

The club was riding a wave of success, as their under-19 team had just weeks prior clinched the UEFA Youth League. This victory had already delivered the first UEFA competition win for a Greek club at any level, building anticipation for the senior team's shot at glory.

Fiorentina: A Quest for Redemption

For Fiorentina, the final represented a different kind of destiny. They became the first club to play in two consecutive Europa Conference League finals, returning after a painful defeat the previous season. The Italian side was desperate to end a long trophy drought, eyeing their first major title since the 2000–01 Coppa Italia and their first European triumph since the 1960–61 Cup Winners' Cup.

The Managerial Masterminds

Both managers were vying for their inaugural Europa Conference League title. Olympiacos' José Luis Mendilibar, however, carried a recent European pedigree, having led Sevilla to victory in the previous year's Europa League final. A win here would make him only the sixth manager to win two different major European trophies in consecutive seasons, and remarkably, the second to do it with different clubs.

Previous Final Appearances

Team	Previous final appearances (bold indicates winners)
Olympiacos	None
Fiorentina	1 (2023)

The Stage: Agia Sophia Stadium

The final's venue, the Agia Sophia Stadium — known as the OPAP Arena for sponsorship reasons — held a significant irony. It's the home of AEK Athens, a fierce local rival of Olympiacos. Opened in September 2022, this modern stadium boasts a capacity of 31,100 spectators.

Greece has a rich history of hosting UEFA finals, with this being the eighth single-leg club final held in the country. Past events include multiple European Cup/Champions League finals, Cup Winners' Cup finals, and the 2023 UEFA Super Cup, showcasing its capacity for grand footballing spectacles.

Choosing the Host City

The selection process for the final began on June 21, 2022, running concurrently with bids for the 2025 final. Prospective venues needed natural grass, a UEFA Category Four rating, and a preferred capacity between 30,000 and 50,000.

The bidding timeline was rigorous, involving multiple stages from initial invitation to the final dossier submission. It ensured only the most prepared and suitable venues were considered for such a prestigious event.

Ultimately, the UEFA Executive Committee appointed the Agia Sophia Stadium on June 28, 2023. Given its new status, the venue underwent an observation period until November 2023 to ensure it met all international competition requirements, with final confirmation in December 2023.

June 21, 2022: Applications formally invited August 31, 2022: Closing date for registering intention to bid September 7, 2022: Bid requirements made available to bidders November 3, 2022: Submission of preliminary bid dossier February 23, 2023: Submission of final bid dossier June 28, 2023: Appointment of host

The Road to the Final

Olympiacos' Tumultuous Journey

Olympiacos' path was a dramatic one, beginning in the Europa League. After falling to third place in their group behind West Ham United and SC Freiburg, they dropped into the Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs.

Their Conference League knockout journey was a thrilling gauntlet. They overcame Ferencváros, staged an incredible comeback against Maccabi Tel Aviv after a first-leg deficit, triumphed over Fenerbahçe in a penalty shootout, and then stunned Aston Villa with a dominant semi-final performance to reach the final.

Fiorentina's Determined March

Fiorentina, by contrast, navigated the Europa Conference League from the outset, topping their group ahead of Ferencváros and Genk. Their knockout rounds saw them bypass the play-offs as group winners.

They then dispatched Maccabi Haifa, Viktoria Plzeň, and Club Brugge in tight contests. Their consistent performance throughout the tournament showcased their experience and unwavering ambition to reclaim the trophy they narrowly missed the previous year.

Pre-Match Buzz

Final Identity & Ticketing

The unique identity for the 2024 final was unveiled at the group stage draw on September 1, 2023. With a stadium capacity of 32,500, a total of 27,100 tickets were made available, ensuring a vibrant atmosphere. Both finalists received an allocation of 9,000 tickets each, allowing their passionate fanbases to pack the stands.

The Match: A Battle to the End

Summary of Play

The final was a tense, tactical affair with both teams defending resolutely. Ninety minutes passed without a goal, pushing the high-stakes encounter into extra time. The tension was palpable as the clock ticked down.

Then, in the 116th minute, the deadlock was finally broken. Olympiacos' Santiago Hezze delivered a cross from the left, and Ayoub El Kaabi stooped low to head the ball precisely into the left corner of the net. The stadium erupted, but a lengthy VAR check followed, holding everyone's breath, before the goal was eventually awarded, securing Olympiacos' historic victory.

Administrative Details

For administrative purposes, the 'home' team designation was decided by an additional draw conducted after the quarter-final and semi-final draws. This standard UEFA procedure ensures neutrality for logistical and branding elements.

Post-Match Jubilation

The final whistle unleashed a torrent of emotion. For Olympiacos, it was pure euphoria. Thousands of fans gathered in Piraeus, Greece, erupting in wild celebrations that lasted late into the night. Even the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, joined in, describing Olympiacos on social media as 'a true legend' — a fitting tribute to a historic achievement.

Article

2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final

The 2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final was the final match of the 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League, the third season of Europe's tertiary club football tournament organised by UEFA. It was held at the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens, Greece, on 29 May 2024, between Greek club Olympiacos and Italian club Fiorentina.

Olympiacos won the match 1–0 after extra time courtesy of a header by Ayoub El Kaabi for their first European title, also becoming the first Greek club to win a European trophy. As winners, they qualified for the league phase of the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League. Meanwhile, Fiorentina lost their second consecutive final, becoming the first team to lose European finals in consecutive seasons since Benfica in the (/wiki/2013UEFAEuropaLeaguefinal) and (/wiki/2014UEFAEuropaLeaguefinal) Europa League finals.

Background

2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final

This was Olympiacos' first European final and only the second to feature a Greek team, the other coming in the 1971 European Cup final which Panathinaikos lost to Ajax. Five weeks prior to this final, Olympiacos' under-19 team had won the 2023–24 UEFA Youth League, the first UEFA competition win for a Greek club at any level. Fiorentina became the first club to play in two UEFA Europa Conference League finals and the first to contest them consecutively. Fiorentina were looking to win their first major trophy since winning the 2000–01 Coppa Italia, and their first European title since winning the 1960–61 European Cup Winners' Cup.

Both managers were seeking their first Europa Conference League title, with Olympiacos' José Luis Mendilibar the more experienced in winning a European trophy, having won the previous year's Europa League final with Sevilla. With a win, Mendilibar would become the first manager to win two different major European trophies in consecutive seasons since fellow Spaniard Rafael Benítez won the 2003–04 UEFA Cup with Valencia and the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League with Liverpool, the sixth manager ever to achieve that, and the second to do it with different clubs.

Previous finals

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Previous final appearances (bold indicates winners)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Olympiacos</td><td>None</td></tr><tr><td>Fiorentina</td><td>1 (2023)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Venue

2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final

The Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens hosted the final.

The Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens, known as the OPAP Arena for sponsorship reasons, is the home of AEK Athens, one of Olympiacos' local rivals. The stadium opened in September 2022, and had a capacity of 31,100. The match was the eighth single-leg UEFA club final to be played in Greece, having hosted three European Cup/Champions League finals (in (/wiki/1983EuropeanCupfinal), (/wiki/1994UEFAChampionsLeaguefinal) and (/wiki/2007UEFAChampionsLeaguefinal)), three Cup Winners' Cup finals (in (/wiki/1971EuropeanCupWinners'Cupfinal), (/wiki/1973EuropeanCupWinners'Cupfinal) and (/wiki/1987EuropeanCupWinners'Cupfinal)) and the 2023 UEFA Super Cup.

Host selection

On 21 June 2022, UEFA opened the bidding process for the final, which was held in parallel with that of the 2025 final. Interested bidders could bid for either one or both of the finals. The proposed venues had to include natural grass and be ranked as a UEFA category four stadium, with a gross capacity of between 30,000 and 50,000 preferred. The bidding timeline was as follows:

• 21 June 2022: Applications formally invited • 31 August 2022: Closing date for registering intention to bid • 7 September 2022: Bid requirements made available to bidders • 3 November 2022: Submission of preliminary bid dossier • 23 February 2023: Submission of final bid dossier • 28 June 2023: Appointment of host

The UEFA Executive Committee appointed the Agia Sophia Stadium as the host during their meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, on 28 June 2023. As the stadium is new and has never been operated by the club for international competitions, the venue is subject to an observation period until November 2023 for matches played in UEFA club competitions and UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying. Should the venue meet the requirements, the appointment will be officially confirmed in December 2023.

Route to the final

2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

<table><thead><tr><th>Olympiacos</th><th>Round</th><th>Fiorentina</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Europa League</td><td></td><td>Europa Conference League</td></tr><tr><td>Opponent</td><td>Agg.</td><td>1st leg</td><td>2nd leg</td><td>Qualifying phase (EL, ECL)</td><td>Opponent</td><td>Agg.</td><td>1st leg</td><td>2nd leg</td></tr><tr><td>Genk</td><td>2–1</td><td>1–0 (H)</td><td>1–1 (A)</td><td>Third qualifying round</td><td>Bye</td></tr><tr><td>Čukarički</td><td>6–1</td><td>3–1 (H)</td><td>3–0 (A)</td><td>Play-off round</td><td>Rapid Wien</td><td>2–1</td><td>0–1 (A)</td><td>2–0 (H)</td></tr><tr><td>Opponent</td><td>Result</td><td>Group stage (EL, ECL)</td><td>Opponent</td><td>Result</td></tr><tr><td>SC Freiburg</td><td>2–3 (H)</td><td>Matchday 1</td><td>Genk</td><td>2–2 (A)</td></tr><tr><td>TSC</td><td>2–2 (A)</td><td>Matchday 2</td><td>Ferencváros</td><td>2–2 (H)</td></tr><tr><td>West Ham United</td><td>2–1 (H)</td><td>Matchday 3</td><td>Čukarički</td><td>6–0 (H)</td></tr><tr><td>West Ham United</td><td>0–1 (A)</td><td>Matchday 4</td><td>Čukarički</td><td>1–0 (A)</td></tr><tr><td>SC Freiburg</td><td>0–5 (A)</td><td>Matchday 5</td><td>Genk</td><td>2–1 (H)</td></tr><tr><td>TSC</td><td>5–2 (H)</td><td>Matchday 6</td><td>Ferencváros</td><td>1–1 (A)</td></tr><tr><td>Group A third place Source: UEFA</td><td>Final standings</td><td>Group F winners Source: UEFA</td></tr><tr><td>Pos</td><td>Team</td><td>Pld</td><td>Pts</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>West Ham United</td><td>6</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>SC Freiburg</td><td>6</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Olympiacos</td><td>6</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>TSC</td><td>6</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Pos</td><td>Team</td><td>Pld</td><td>Pts</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Fiorentina</td><td>6</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Ferencváros</td><td>6</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Genk</td><td>6</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Čukarički</td><td>6</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Europa Conference League</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Opponent</td><td>Agg.</td><td>1st leg</td><td>2nd leg</td><td>Knockout phase</td><td>Opponent</td><td>Agg.</td><td>1st leg</td><td>2nd leg</td></tr><tr><td>Ferencváros</td><td>2–0</td><td>1–0 (H)</td><td>1–0 (A)</td><td>Knockout round play-offs</td><td>Bye</td></tr><tr><td>Maccabi Tel Aviv</td><td>7–5</td><td>1–4 (H)</td><td>6–1 (a.e.t.) (A)</td><td>Round of 16</td><td>Maccabi Haifa</td><td>5–4</td><td>4–3 (A)</td><td>1–1 (H)</td></tr><tr><td>Fenerbahçe</td><td>3–3 (3–2 p)</td><td>3–2 (H)</td><td>0–1 (a.e.t.) (A)</td><td>Quarter-finals</td><td>Viktoria Plzeň</td><td>2–0</td><td>0–0 (A)</td><td>2–0 (a.e.t.) (H)</td></tr><tr><td>Aston Villa</td><td>6–2</td><td>4–2 (A)</td><td>2–0 (H)</td><td>Semi-finals</td><td>Club Brugge</td><td>4–3</td><td>3–2 (H)</td><td>1–1 (A)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Pre-match

Identity

The original identity of the 2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final was unveiled at the group stage draw on 1 September 2023.

Ticketing

The stadium has a capacity of 32,500, and 27,100 were made available of which 21,000 were on sale to the general public. Each club in the final received an allocation of 9,000 tickets each.

Match

Summary

After a goalless ninety minutes, the match went into extra-time. In the 116th minute Olympiacos went in front when Ayoub El Kaabi got the only goal of the match when he stooped low to head the ball into the left corner of the net after a cross from the left by Santiago Hezze. After a lengthy VAR check the goal was eventually awarded and Olympiacos went on to win their first European trophy.

Details

The "home" team (for administrative purposes) was determined by an additional draw held after the quarter-final and semi-final draws.

<table><thead><tr><th>GK</th><th>88</th><th>Konstantinos Tzolakis</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>RB</td><td>23</td><td>Rodinei</td></tr><tr><td>CB</td><td>45</td><td>Panagiotis Retsos</td></tr><tr><td>CB</td><td>16</td><td>David Carmo</td></tr><tr><td>LB</td><td>3</td><td>Francisco Ortega</td><td></td><td> 91'</td></tr><tr><td>CM</td><td>32</td><td>Santiago Hezze</td></tr><tr><td>CM</td><td>8</td><td>Vicente Iborra</td></tr><tr><td>RW</td><td>56</td><td>Daniel Podence</td><td> 28'</td><td> 106'</td></tr><tr><td>AM</td><td>6</td><td>Chiquinho</td><td></td><td> 77'</td></tr><tr><td>LW</td><td>7</td><td>Kostas Fortounis (c)</td><td></td><td> 73'</td></tr><tr><td>CF</td><td>9</td><td>Ayoub El Kaabi</td><td> 117'</td><td> 120+2'</td></tr><tr><td>Substitutes:</td></tr><tr><td>GK</td><td>1</td><td>Alexandros Paschalakis</td><td> 95'</td></tr><tr><td>GK</td><td>99</td><td>Athanasios Papadoudis</td></tr><tr><td>DF</td><td>18</td><td>Quini</td><td></td><td> 91'</td></tr><tr><td>DF</td><td>27</td><td>Omar Richards</td></tr><tr><td>DF</td><td>65</td><td>Apostolos Apostolopoulos</td></tr><tr><td>DF</td><td>74</td><td>Andreas Ntoi</td></tr><tr><td>MF</td><td>5</td><td>André Horta</td><td></td><td> 77'</td></tr><tr><td>MF</td><td>15</td><td>Sotiris Alexandropoulos</td></tr><tr><td>MF</td><td>19</td><td>Georgios Masouras</td><td></td><td> 106'</td></tr><tr><td>MF</td><td>20</td><td>João Carvalho</td></tr><tr><td>FW</td><td>11</td><td>Youssef El-Arabi</td><td></td><td> 120+2'</td></tr><tr><td>FW</td><td>22</td><td>Stevan Jovetić</td><td> 94'</td><td> 73'</td></tr><tr><td>Manager:</td></tr><tr><td>José Luis Mendilibar</td></tr><tr><td>GK</td><td>1</td><td>Pietro Terracciano</td></tr><tr><td>RB</td><td>2</td><td>Dodô</td></tr><tr><td>CB</td><td>4</td><td>Nikola Milenković</td></tr><tr><td>CB</td><td>28</td><td>Lucas Martínez Quarta</td><td> 42'</td></tr><tr><td>LB</td><td>3</td><td>Cristiano Biraghi (c)</td><td> 99'</td><td> 106'</td></tr><tr><td>CM</td><td>6</td><td>Arthur</td><td></td><td> 74'</td></tr><tr><td>CM</td><td>38</td><td>Rolando Mandragora</td></tr><tr><td>RW</td><td>10</td><td>Nicolás González</td><td></td><td> 106'</td></tr><tr><td>AM</td><td>5</td><td>Giacomo Bonaventura</td><td></td><td> 82'</td></tr><tr><td>LW</td><td>99</td><td>Christian Kouamé</td><td> 79'</td><td> 82'</td></tr><tr><td>CF</td><td>20</td><td>Andrea Belotti</td><td></td><td> 59'</td></tr><tr><td>Substitutes:</td></tr><tr><td>GK</td><td>53</td><td>Oliver Christensen</td></tr><tr><td>DF</td><td>16</td><td>Luca Ranieri</td><td></td><td> 106'</td></tr><tr><td>DF</td><td>22</td><td>Davide Faraoni</td></tr><tr><td>DF</td><td>33</td><td>Michael Kayode</td></tr><tr><td>DF</td><td>65</td><td>Fabiano Parisi</td></tr><tr><td>MF</td><td>8</td><td>Maxime Lopez</td></tr><tr><td>MF</td><td>19</td><td>Gino Infantino</td></tr><tr><td>MF</td><td>32</td><td>Alfred Duncan</td><td></td><td> 74'</td></tr><tr><td>MF</td><td>72</td><td>Antonín Barák</td><td></td><td> 82'</td></tr><tr><td>FW</td><td>9</td><td>Lucas Beltrán</td><td></td><td> 106'</td></tr><tr><td>FW</td><td>11</td><td>Jonathan Ikoné</td><td></td><td> 82'</td></tr><tr><td>FW</td><td>18</td><td>M'Bala Nzola</td><td></td><td> 59'</td></tr><tr><td>Manager:</td></tr><tr><td>Vincenzo Italiano</td></tr></tbody></table>

Post-match

2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final

After the match Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis made a post on social media platform X, describing Olympiacos as "a true legend". This win caused a big celebration with several thousand Olympiacos fans gathered in Piraeus, Greece.