8 mei 2024 om 20:44 Update: 20 min. geleden
Fiorentina reached the final of the Conference League for the second season in a row on Wednesday. The Italians drew 1-1 at Club Brugge and that was enough to reach the final after Thursday’s 3-2 win.
Club Brugge seemed on its way to forcing extra time and took the lead for a long time thanks to a goal by Maxim De Cuyper. Lucas Beltrán equalized from a penalty kick five minutes before the end. The ball went to the spot after Brandon Mechele’s leg went too high and almost hit M’Bala Nzola’s head.
Club Brugge, where the injured Bjorn Meijer was missing due to an injury, continued to push, but did not score again. As a result, Fiorentina once again qualified for the final battle. Coach Vincenzo Italiano’s team lost to West Ham United in the final last year (2-1).
The Italians managed to win a European prize once in the past: the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1961. They lost finals in the European Cup I (1957), European Cup II (1962), UEFA Cup (1990) and therefore the Conference League ( 2023).
Club Brugge had qualified for the final of a European tournament for the first time in 46 years. The club from West Flanders last reached the final of a European tournament in the 1977/1978 season. At the time, the Belgians lost 0-1 to Liverpool in the European Cup.
Fiorentina will play against Aston Villa or Olympiacos in the final. The first leg in Birmingham was surprisingly won 2-4 by the Greeks last week. The return in Piraeus is scheduled for Thursday.
