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2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final

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2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final
Event2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League
Fiorentina West Ham United
Italy England
1 2
Date7 June 2023 (2023-06-07)
VenueFortuna Arena, Prague
Man of the MatchJarrod Bowen (West Ham United)[1]
RefereeCarlos del Cerro Grande (Spain)[2]
Attendance17,363[3]
WeatherCloudy night
19 °C (66 °F)
75% humidity[4]
← 2022
2024 →

The 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final was the final match of the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League, the second season of Europe's tertiary club football tournament organised by UEFA. The match was played at the Fortuna Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, on 7 June 2023,[5][6] between Italian club Fiorentina and English club West Ham United.

West Ham United won the match 2–1 for their first UEFA Europa Conference League title.[7][8] As winners, they qualified for the group stage of the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League.

Background

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This was the first appearance in the final of the competition for both teams. However, both Fiorentina and West Ham United had won the Cup Winners' Cup in the 1960s; Fiorentina was its first winners back in 1960–61, while West Ham won the cup four seasons later. In addition, West Ham was one of the three winners of the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup. Both clubs were also aiming to end their decades-long trophy drought; Fiorentina were looking to win their first trophy since winning the Coppa Italia 22 years earlier, while West Ham's most recent major title came in the 1979–80 FA Cup, when they became the most recent non-top flight side to win the tournament.[9]

This was Fiorentina's fifth European final, having won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1961 as well as losing the 1957 European Cup, the 1962 European Cup Winners' Cup, and the 1990 UEFA Cup finals. With this, they became the first team to reach the finals of all major UEFA club competitions.[note 1][10]

This was West Ham's third European final, having won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1965 as well as losing the 1976 European Cup Winners' Cup final.[11] They were the English team with the longest European major trophy drought—58 years since their latest triumph. Their defender Emerson Palmieri was aiming to become the first player to win won all three currently existing major European trophies, having won the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League and the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League with Chelsea.

Venue

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The Fortuna Arena in Prague hosted the final.

The Fortuna Arena previously hosted the 2013 UEFA Super Cup, as well as four matches at the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, including the final.

Host selection

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A bidding process was launched by UEFA to select the venues of the finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League for both 2022 and 2023. Associations interested in hosting one of the finals had until 20 February 2020 to submit bid dossiers.

The decision was originally scheduled to be made by the UEFA Executive Committee during their meeting on 3 December 2020.[12] However, UEFA later decided to reopen the bidding process after appointing the host for the 2022 final only. Member associations had until 30 September 2021 to confirm their intention to submit a bid, while the bids must be submitted by 23 February 2022.[13] Six associations expressed interest in hosting the final.[14][15][16][17]

New bidding associations for 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League Final
Country Stadium City Capacity Notes
 Czech Republic Fortuna Arena Prague 20,800 Hosted 2013 UEFA Super Cup and matches at 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
 Greece Agia Sophia Stadium Athens 32,000 Under construction
 Israel Teddy Stadium Jerusalem 31,733 Hosted 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
 Northern Ireland Windsor Park Belfast 18,614 Hosted 2021 UEFA Super Cup
 Slovakia Tehelné pole Bratislava 22,500

The UEFA Executive Committee appointed the Fortuna Arena as the host during their meeting in Vienna, Austria, on 10 May 2022.[18][6]

Route to the final

[edit]
Further information: 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League

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

Italy Fiorentina Round England West Ham United
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Qualifying phase Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Netherlands Twente 2–1 2–1 (H) 0–0 (A) Play-off round Denmark Viborg 6–1 3–1 (H) 3–0 (A)
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
Latvia RFS 1–1 (H) Matchday 1 Romania FCSB 3–1 (H)
Turkey İstanbul Başakşehir 0–3 (A) Matchday 2 Denmark Silkeborg 3–2 (A)
Scotland Heart of Midlothian 3–0 (A) Matchday 3 Belgium Anderlecht 1–0 (A)
Scotland Heart of Midlothian 5–1 (H) Matchday 4 Belgium Anderlecht 2–1 (H)
Turkey İstanbul Başakşehir 2–1 (H) Matchday 5 Denmark Silkeborg 1–0 (H)
Latvia RFS 3–0 (A) Matchday 6 Romania FCSB 3–0 (A)
Group A runners-up
Pos Team
 Pld Pts
1 Turkey İstanbul Başakşehir 6 13
2 Italy Fiorentina 6 13
3 Scotland Heart of Midlothian 6 6
4 Latvia RFS 6 2
Source: UEFA
 Final standings Group B winners
Pos Team
 Pld Pts
1 England West Ham United 6 18
2 Belgium Anderlecht 6 8
3 Denmark Silkeborg 6 6
4 Romania FCSB 6 2
Source: UEFA
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Knockout phase Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Portugal Braga 7–2 4–0 (A) 3–2 (H) Knockout round play-offs N/A (Finished top of the group)
Turkey Sivasspor 5–1 1–0 (H) 4–1 (A) Round of 16 Cyprus AEK Larnaca 6–0 2–0 (A) 4–0 (H)
Poland Lech Poznań 6–4 4–1 (A) 2–3 (H) Quarter-finals Belgium Gent 5–2 1–1 (A) 4–1 (H)
Switzerland Basel 4–3 1–2 (H) 3–1 (a.e.t.) (A) Semi-finals Netherlands AZ 3–1 2–1 (H) 1–0 (A)

Pre-match

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Identity

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The original identity of the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League Final was unveiled at the group stage draw on 26 August 2022.[19]

Ambassador

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The ambassador for the final was former Czech international Vladimír Šmicer, who won the 2000–01 UEFA Cup and 2004–05 UEFA Champions League titles with Liverpool.[20]

Ticketing

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With a stadium capacity of 18,000 for the final, a total amount of 13,000 tickets were available to fans and the general public, with the two finalist teams receiving 5,000 tickets each, and with the other tickets being available for sale to fans worldwide via UEFA.com from 21 to 28 April 2023 in four price categories: €125, €85, €45, and €25. Accessibility tickets for disabled spectators cost €25. The remaining tickets were allocated to the local organising committee, national associations, commercial partners, and broadcasters, and to serve the corporate hospitality programme.[21]

Violence

[edit]

Police arrested more than 30 people after a group of West Ham fans were attacked by Italian Ultras dressed in black. The violence erupted in the morning of 7 June 2023 in the Old Town Square area of Prague. Police said the men were wearing face coverings and carrying chains and other weapons.[22]

Match

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Summary

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First half

[edit]
Biraghi being treated after being hit with object from the crowd

West Ham started quickly as Lucas Paquetá played a pass into Michail Antonio, but his shot was easily saved by Pietro Terracciano. Shortly after, Fiorentina's Rolando Mandragora unleashed a shot from distance that was well wide. Fiorentina caught a break after Declan Rice's shot was just wide of the post following a long throw that the Italians failed to clear. Fiorentina began to control the tempo from this point, and had a chance when Nikola Milenković's header went over the bar from a corner. Saïd Benrahma went down near the edge of the Fiorentina box, but instead of drawing a free kick for the Hammers, he received the first yellow card of the match for simulation.

Ten minutes before the halftime whistle, the match was halted when Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi was hit by cups and other objects thrown by the West Ham fans. Biraghi was bleeding from the back of his head, but after receiving medical treatment he continued to play.[23] Fiorentina won successive corners, but West Ham dealt with them and prevented Fiorentina from capitalizing. Tomáš Souček had a header in the box cleared by Luca Ranieri near the end of the half. Fiorentina had the best chance of the half right before the halftime whistle. Alphonse Areola pushed a header from Christian Kouamé onto the post, where it fell to Luka Jović, who got enough on his header from the rebound and Areola could not prevent it going over the line. However, Jović was in an offside position when Kouamé touched the ball, and the goal was quickly disallowed. Both teams went into halftime having created few chances, but Fiorentina had dominated possession, looked the better team, and very nearly secured the lead.

Second half

[edit]
The players, staff and fans of West Ham United celebrate their win.

Fiorentina made the first substitution a minute into the second half, with Jovic leaving the pitch and being replaced by Arthur Cabral. Nayef Aguerd became the second player booked after a high challenge on Mandragora in the 53rd minute. The Italians got their first shot on target, but Areola easily claimed the shot from Kouamé. West Ham broke the game open in the 60th minute, when a long throw into the box was controlled by Jarrod Bowen before going out for a goal kick amid strong penalty appeals from Bowen and other West Ham players. After a VAR check by referee Carlos del Cerro Grande showed that Biraghi had flicked his hand on to the ball, the penalty was given to the Hammers. Benrahma's penalty into the top right corner sent Terracciano the wrong way, and gave West Ham a 1–0 lead. Both teams made changes shortly after; West Ham replaced Kurt Zouma with Thilo Kehrer, and Fiorentina's Kouamé was replaced by Riccardo Saponara.

Declan Rice celebrates shortly after the end of the game

West Ham's lead was short lived. Nicolás González won an aerial duel against Emerson, and headed the ball down for Giacomo Bonaventura who controlled it well with one foot and fired past Areola with the other into the far corner to equalise for Fiorentina. West Ham nearly responded to retake the lead, as Antonio was slipped in by Paquetá, but could not finish the chance, and the flag went up for offside. Benrahma was subbed off for Pablo Fornals shortly after. Milenkovic was booked after bringing down Paqueta, joining Mandragora as a cautioned Fiorentina player. Ranieri was replaced by Igor Julio in the 80th minute. West Ham had another chance that was ruled offside, this time it was Soucek who failed to beat Terracciano. Sofyan Amrabat received a yellow card for his tackle on Emerson in the 85th minute. Amrabat had a chance from a West Ham turnover, but he failed to beat Areola. In the 90th minute of the game, with stoppage time imminent, Paquetá intercepted a ball in midfield, and played a through ball to Bowen who had only Terracciano in the Fiorentina goal to beat. Bowen lifted the ball over the leg of Terracciano and although the goalkeeper got a slight touch to the ball, the shot went into the net, reclaiming the lead for West Ham in the final moments of normal time. This was enough to give the Hammers a 2–1 victory and their first UEFA Europa Conference League title.[24][25]

Details

[edit]

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

Fiorentina Italy1–2England West Ham United
 Report
Attendance: 17,363[3]
Fiorentina[4]
West Ham United[4]
GK 1 Italy Pietro Terracciano
RB 2 Brazil Dodô
CB 4 Serbia Nikola Milenković Yellow card 75'
CB 16 Italy Luca Ranieri downward-facing red arrow 84'
LB 3 Italy Cristiano Biraghi (c)
CM 34 Morocco Sofyan Amrabat Yellow card 85'
CM 38 Italy Rolando Mandragora Yellow card 66' downward-facing red arrow 90+3'
AM 5 Italy Giacomo Bonaventura
RW 22 Argentina Nicolás González
LW 99 Ivory Coast Christian Kouamé downward-facing red arrow 61'
CF 7 Serbia Luka Jović downward-facing red arrow 46'
Substitutes:
GK 31 Italy Michele Cerofolini
DF 15 Serbia Aleksa Terzić
DF 23 Italy Lorenzo Venuti
DF 28 Argentina Lucas Martínez Quarta
DF 98 Brazil Igor upward-facing green arrow 84'
MF 8 Italy Riccardo Saponara upward-facing green arrow 61'
MF 32 Ghana Alfred Duncan Yellow card 67'
MF 42 Italy Alessandro Bianco
MF 72 Czech Republic Antonín Barák upward-facing green arrow 90+3'
FW 9 Brazil Arthur Cabral upward-facing green arrow 46'
FW 11 France Jonathan Ikoné
FW 77 Croatia Josip Brekalo
Manager:
Italy Vincenzo Italiano
GK 13 France Alphonse Areola
RB 5 Czech Republic Vladimír Coufal
CB 4 France Kurt Zouma downward-facing red arrow 61'
CB 27 Morocco Nayef Aguerd Yellow card 53'
LB 33 Italy Emerson Palmieri
CM 28 Czech Republic Tomáš Souček
CM 41 England Declan Rice (c)
AM 11 Brazil Lucas Paquetá
RW 20 England Jarrod Bowen Yellow card 90+7'
LW 22 Algeria Saïd Benrahma Yellow card 31' downward-facing red arrow 76'
CF 9 Jamaica Michail Antonio downward-facing red arrow 90+4'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Poland Łukasz Fabiański
DF 2 England Ben Johnson
DF 3 England Aaron Cresswell Yellow card 90+1'
DF 21 Italy Angelo Ogbonna upward-facing green arrow 90+4'
DF 24 Germany Thilo Kehrer upward-facing green arrow 61'
MF 8 Spain Pablo Fornals upward-facing green arrow 76'
MF 10 Argentina Manuel Lanzini
MF 12 England Flynn Downes
MF 62 England Freddie Potts
FW 14 Ivory Coast Maxwel Cornet
FW 18 England Danny Ings
FW 72 England Divin Mubama
Manager:
Scotland David Moyes

Man of the Match:
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United)[1]

Assistant referees:[2]
Pau Cebrián Devís (Spain)
Guadalupe Porras Ayuso (Spain)
Fourth official:[2]
Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain)
Reserve assistant referee:[2]
Diego Barbero Sevilla (Spain)
Video assistant referee:[2]
Juan Martínez Munuera (Spain)
Assistant video assistant referee:[2]
Alejandro Hernández Hernández (Spain)
Support video assistant referee:[2]
Tiago Martins (Portugal)

Match rules[26]

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • Twelve named substitutes
  • Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time[note 2]

Statistics

[edit]

Post-match

[edit]

After the game Fiorentina president, Rocco Commisso described West Ham as treating Fiorentina players "like animals" after Luka Jović came off at half-time with a broken nose and Cristiano Biraghi received a bloodied face after being hit by an object thrown from the crowd.[28] UEFA later charged both clubs with "throwing of objects" with West Ham being charged with "invasion of the field of play" and Fiorentina being charged with the "lighting of fireworks".[29] West Ham supporters were banned from attending the club's first away fixture of their 2023-24 Europa League campaign. The club was also fined €50,000 after supporters threw objects onto the pitch and a further €8,000 for a pitch invasion following the game.[30] Fiorentina were given a one-match ban for away supporters and were fined €30,000.[31]

On 8 June thousands lined a route from the Champions Statue to Stratford Town Hall as West Ham players took part in an open top bus parade to show the trophy and celebrate the win.[32]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ European Cup/Champions League, Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Cup/Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League.
  2. ^ Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Jarrod Bowen named official UEFA Europa Conference League final Laufenn Player of the Match". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Referee teams appointed for 2023 UEFA club competition finals". UEFA. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Full Time Summary Final – Fiorentina v West Ham United" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Tactical Lineups – Final – Wednesday 7 June 2023" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  5. ^ "International match calendar and access list for 2022/23". UEFA Circular Letter. No. 51/2021. Union of European Football Associations. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  6. ^ a b "UEFA EURO 2024 match schedule approved". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Fiorentina 1–2 West Ham: Bowen arrows Hammers to glory". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Fiorentina 1–2 West Ham United: Jarrod Bowen goal decides Europa Conference League final". BBC Sport. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Europa Conference League final: Everything you need to know as West Ham play Fiorentina". BBC.com. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Fiorentina focus – a look at West Ham's Europa Conference League final opponents". KeepUp.com.au. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Fiorentina vs West Ham final facts". UEFA.com. UEFA. 22 May 2023. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  12. ^ "EPO plans to submit bid to host UEFA Europa Conference League final". AGONAsport. 28 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  13. ^ "Invitation to bid for 2022/23 UEFA Europa Conference League final". UEFA Circular. No. 55/2021. Union of European Football Associations. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  14. ^ "Konferenční liga s vrcholem v Praze? V roce 2023 chce finále šest zemí" [Conference League with a peak in Prague? In 2023, six countries want the final]. iDNES.cz (in Czech). 5 October 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  15. ^ "ΑΕΚ: Κατατέθηκε ο φάκελος για τον τελικό του Conference League 2023 στην «Αγιά Σοφιά – OPAP Arena»" [AEK: The file for the final of Conference League 2023 was submitted to "Agia Sofia – OPAP Arena"]. gazzetta.gr (in Greek). 10 February 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Europa Conference League: Irish FA bids to host final at Windsor Park". BBC Sport. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  17. ^ "UEFA – Slovenský futbalový zväz sa uchádza o usporiadanie finále Európskej konferenčnej ligy" [UEFA – Slovak Football Association is bidding to host the final of the European Conference League] (in Slovak). Slovak Football Association. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  18. ^ "UEFA Executive Committee agenda for Vienna meeting". Union of European Football Associations. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  19. ^ UEFA.com (26 August 2022). "2023 UEFA Europa League and 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League finals identities unveiled | Inside UEFA". UEFA.com. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Meet our 2023 finals ambassadors". VOLT. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Ticket sales for 2023 UEFA club competition finals launched". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 21 April 2023.
  22. ^ "Dozens arrested after West Ham fans attacked in Prague bar ahead of Europa Conference League final". Sky News. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  23. ^ "West Ham condemn fan behaviour after Fiorentina's Biraghi hit by object". Reuters. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  24. ^ Steinberg, Jacob (7 June 2023). "Jarrod Bowen strikes at the last to earn Conference League glory for West Ham". the Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  25. ^ "Bowen strikes late as West Ham United win the UEFA Europa Conference League!". West Ham United F.C. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Regulations of the UEFA Europa Conference League, 2022/23 Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  27. ^ a b c "Team statistics" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 June 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  28. ^ "West Ham 'animals' in final - Fiorentina president". BBC Sport. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  29. ^ "West Ham charged by Uefa for incidents in final". BBC Sport. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  30. ^ "West Ham fans banned for one European away game". BBC Sport. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  31. ^ "UEFA punish Fiorentina and West Ham after Conference League final fan trouble". Football Italia. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  32. ^ "Thousands of fans watch West Ham trophy parade". BBC Sport. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
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