177 teams have competed in this season’s Europa Conference League, but now just 4 remain.
West Ham and Fiorentina are seeking to win European trophies for the first time since the 1960s, while Basel are AZ are dreaming of a first piece of continental silverware.
Who will be lining-up in Prague for the final on 7 June?
📰 Table Of Contents
West Ham United vs AZ Alkmaar
Having fallen at the semi-final stage in Europe last season, will West Ham United go one better this time?
This time last year, the Hammers came agonisingly close to reaching the Europa League Final, outed by eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt.
Now, with that expirence behind them, David Moyes’ men are favourites to lift the Europa Conference League.
West Ham last captured continental silverware in 1965 and actually haven’t won any major honour since beating Arsenal in the FA Cup Final exactly 43 years ago yesterday.
So, if Moyes’ men are hoisting the trophy aloft in Prague on 7 June, it would be an historic achievement for the club.
AZ do come into this tie as underdogs, but certainly shouldn’t be written off.
The Cheeseheads began their campaign way back on 21 July in the second qualifying round, scoring 36 goals in 16 matches to date.
During the knockout phase, Pascal Jansen’s team have swatted aside Lazio, before coming from 2-0 down to oust Anderlecht, doing so in a penalty shootout.
Only once before have the Dutch club featured in a European Final, beaten by Ipswich Town in the UEFA Cup Final of 1981, subsequently falling at this stage against Sporting CP 24 years later.
With the second leg at AFAS Stadion, West Ham will be hoping for a healthy home win in East London to take with them to Alkmaar.
Fiorentina vs FC Basel
Of the seven who began their adventures in the autumn, five Italian sides are still fighting in UEFA competition this season, so can Fiorentina ensure the Europa Conference League trophy remains in Italy?
Roma were crowned inaugural winners of this competition 12 months ago, with I Viola seeking to emulate their rivals’ success.
Vincenzo Italiano’s team had won nine successive European matches, prior to a second leg defeat at the hands of Lech Poznań last month.
Nevertheless, having recorded a 4-1 victory in Poland a week earlier, I Gigliati had enough to get through.
This is the start of a huge fortnight for Fiorentina, who have this two-legged affair followed by a Coppa Italia Final against Inter in 13 nights time.
Given that they’re eighth in Serie A, 12 points below Roma in seventh, they’ll need to win one of these two cup competitions to be back in Europe next season.
FC Basel meanwhile are seeking to reach a first-ever continental final.
RotBlau’s only previous semi-final appearance in a UEFA tournament came ten years ago, beaten by Chelsea in the Europa League.
This’ll be Basel’s 19th Europa Conference League fixture of the season, having caused a big shock in the previous round, ousting Nice in extra time.
Like their opponents, Heiko Vogel’s side are struggling domestically, sat fifth in the Swiss Super League, four points adrift Luzern who occupy the final European place.
Thus, if Basel don’t win the Europa Conference League, they could miss out on European qualification for the first time in 25 years.
A home win at Stadio Artemio Franchi seems likely, with Fiorentina hoping to take an unassailable lead with them to St. Jakob-Park next Thursday.
