🏆 UCLF: ACF Fiorentina 1-2 West Ham Utd (7/6/23)

[Colours never run]

https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferen ... l/?iv=true

Got a card happy Ref for the Final..

https://www.soccerbase.com/referees/ref ... ee_id=1285

[Albie Beck]

https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferen ... l/?iv=true

Got a card happy Ref for the Final..

https://www.soccerbase.com/referees/ref ... ee_id=1285

> 1:3 chance of a red

[inspirations]

> 1:3 chance of a red

The refs do seem to get a different brief for finals, they want to keep as many on the pitch as possible.

If someone gets a red in a final, they pretty much deserve it.

[psychoscoredthelot]

I missed out on a final ticket by 1 point - i am gutted

[Dieter Eckstein]

Slightly worrying to see that Fiorentina beat Roma at the weekend. Granted, Roma have the Europa League this week but they were still in with a shout for a Champions league spot before Fiorentina beat them and Milan beat Juve at the weekend, so I doubt they rolled over. The final looks like a pretty evenly matched affair. Great for the neutral - terrifying for us.

[jevs]

Apologies if it's already been asked/answered but do the winners get put in the Europa league next year?

[sutts07]

Apologies if it's already been asked/answered but do the winners get put in the Europa league next year?

Yes. Winner qualifies for the Europa League Group Stage.

Roma won last yes, got into Europa and are now in the final of that too... winning becomes a habit!

[hammers92]

Imagine the super league advocates realising that Newcastle, Brighton, Villa and possibly West Ham will be taking the places of Tottenham and Chelsea next year?

[HammerMan2004]

Slightly worrying to see that Fiorentina beat Roma at the weekend. Granted, Roma have the Europa League this week but they were still in with a shout for a Champions league spot before Fiorentina beat them and Milan beat Juve at the weekend, so I doubt they rolled over. The final looks like a pretty evenly matched affair. Great for the neutral - terrifying for us.

Some of that Fiorentina defending gives me hope.

[sendô]

Imagine the super league advocates realising that Newcastle, Brighton, Villa and possibly West Ham will be taking the places of Tottenham and Chelsea next year?

It's exactly for this reason that they tried to create the super league.

[sutts07]

I don't think we can take anything from that game at the weekend. Nor can they from ours.

Roma have a final v Sevilla on Wednesday, win that and it is two European trophies in as many seasons plus a place in the Champions League.

Fiorentina were on the back of the Cup final defeat, can't do anything in the league and are part focused on playing us.

[Colours never run]

Some of that Fiorentina defending gives me hope.

They've definitely got a weakness in defence and look unconvincing a lot of the time over the past month. I feel that if we get at them, they'll struggle to cope with our attacking players buzzing around them.

Fiorentina's new shirts look like they've been ironed over their mattress bed springs too. Looks ****.

[davids cross]

BT Sport will stream the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League finals for free in the UK.

The broadcaster, which will join forces with Eurosport under the new name TNT Sports from July 18, has been the rights-holder delivering European competitions to UK viewers since the beginning of the 2015-16 season.

Viewers usually need a subscription to watch BT Sport, which costs £18 a month for 24 months, following an up-front one-off payment of £39.99.

However, the three 2023 European finals will be made free to air, either on the BT Sport app, on Virgin Media, at www.btsport.com/final, or on the broadcaster’s YouTube.

Apologies if posted.

[SJack]

They've definitely got a weakness in defence and look unconvincing a lot of the time over the past month. I feel that if we get at them, they'll struggle to cope with our attacking players buzzing around them.

Fiorentina's new shirts look like they've been ironed over their mattress bed springs too. Looks ****.

I don't think we can take anything from that game at the weekend. Nor can they from ours.

Roma have a final v Sevilla on Wednesday, win that and it is two European trophies in as many seasons plus a place in the Champions League.

Fiorentina were on the back of the Cup final defeat, can't do anything in the league and are part focused on playing us.

Yes, I don't think either side can read too much into end-of-season league form as we're both awaiting this match (I imagine!) with equal excitement and confidence and a dash of nervousness, due to the added pressure of European football on top of a trophy.

Factor in both we and Roma had only 3-4 starters and Roma needed a win to access Champions League. It must also be said that we still can't rest on our laurels because finishing 8th may still access Europe if Juve are banned by UEFA in their forthcoming sanctions (although having witnessed their propensity to get away with pretty much everything, I would be surprised yet delighted!)

From our perspective, that was a good performance though against Roma, especially 2nd half. Mainly because we showed character to overturn their lead late on and just kept attacking Mourinho's 'bus' which has often been a challenge for us.

I'm intrigued to see how the game goes. I've mentioned already our weakness on the counter is well known. BUT, I must point out that we generally keep the ball well and probe at quality teams and have pace down both wings too. If you do manage to put pressure on and have a sustained period of attack, our defence has actually been decent this season and we can counter well too.

That for me is what makes our formation and tactics so interesting (and bodes for a close game) as we both have potential going forward and are prone to lapses at the back. It will come down to moments I feel or a touch of class to unlock. I'm also intrigued to see Rice v Amrabat in controlling the middle and what happens down the wings. Gonzalez or Ikone + Dodo will be a handful for you on our right wing but our back line will need to communicate better to keep out Fornals/Paqueta/Bowen etc.

I take encouragement though from our excellent track record against English sides including beating a Moyes' side back in 2008. Maybe little psychological things will play a part?

[W.H.U.]

Driving round east London and the surrounding areas today , hardly any flags or bunting up , was fantastic to see in 2006 for the fa cup final

[Colours never run]

It wasn't just this match I was factoring in, it was also the Final, as well as the displays in the Conference League against both Poznan and Basel where Fiorentinas defence to me hasn't looked all that convincing. We have players going forward that can really hurt opposition defences and I won't lie, Fiorentinas defence has holes there that can be unpicked without too much trouble I reckon.

Jack, you'll know better than anyone but from the times I've watched you this past month I feel as if Igor and Milenkovic are your best centre halves, or would you prefer Martinez and Milenkovic for the Final? And what would you say your sides best qualities are as a Team? What should we be most concerned about

[Southminster Hammer]

BT Sport will stream the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League finals for free in the UK.

The broadcaster, which will join forces with Eurosport under the new name TNT Sports from July 18, has been the rights-holder delivering European competitions to UK viewers since the beginning of the 2015-16 season.

Viewers usually need a subscription to watch BT Sport, which costs £18 a month for 24 months, following an up-front one-off payment of £39.99.

However, the three 2023 European finals will be made free to air, either on the BT Sport app, on Virgin Media, at www.btsport.com/final, or on the broadcaster’s YouTube.

Apologies if posted.

Excuse my ignorance, but does the app actually mean their TV Sports channel?

[SJack]

It wasn't just this match I was factoring in, it was also the Final, as well as the displays in the Conference League against both Poznan and Basel where Fiorentinas defence to me hasn't looked all that convincing. We have players going forward that can really hurt opposition defences and I won't lie, Fiorentinas defence has holes there that can be unpicked without too much trouble I reckon.

Jack, you'll know better than anyone but from the times I've watched you this past month I feel as if Igor and Milenkovic are your best centre halves, or would you prefer Martinez and Milenkovic for the Final? And what would you say your sides best qualities are as a Team? What should we be most concerned about

It's a fair point as no, we haven't always been convincing at the back but have had matches and spells this season where we have looked solid. It's hard to fathom sometimes as I reckon it's been a cocktail of complacency, quality forwards e.g. Martinez and Leao unpicking us, and Italiano's constant rotation. The latter is a big thing because you'd expect the communication and spatial awareness to improve the longer you play with a partner. Personally, Milenkovic and Martinez Quarta offer more protection and have the best international experience. Igor has been immense in a lot of games but looked shaken recently. Ranieri is a youngster but coped well and could get some time.

In terms of strengths, it's our attacking patterns and wings that provide so much. Having interchangeable wingers, some with 'inverted feet' to cut in and shoot has been productive, especially when Cabral or Jovic are struggling. The attacking midfielders in Barak, Castrovilli and Bonaventura have hit form in the Conference and Dodo down the right is our cult hero at the mo.

However, if you pushed me for a definitive 'one thing' that is our weapon, it's our collective strength as a team, as a city and for our late captain Davide Astori (No.13). It's driving us onwards and even if we don't win, it'll drive us next season too.

[arlhe]

Mickey Mouse trophy, orange kit.. not how I envisaged our long wait for a trophy ending… they even have to disappoint in victory.. if we win that is

I've read some 'mickey mouse' posts on here, but this one takes the biscuit.

[El brooko79]

Excuse my ignorance, but does the app actually mean their TV Sports channel?

Reading on the website it does say the app, so I'd say you do need to use that.
But you can download it on smart tvs and media sticks (amazon fire stick, roku etc), tablets and phones.