Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved two spot kicks and survived a bizarre red card incident as his side beat French club Lille on penalties to reach the Europa Conference League semifinals on Thursday.

The WINNING moment. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/K9ucNvmZwI

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 18, 2024

A chaotic match ended 3-3 on aggregate after Lille's 2-1 victory on the night but the real drama was to come in the shootout with World Cup winner Martinez in the thick of it.

Martinez, who was shown a yellow card during the game, first saved brilliantly to keep out Nabil Bentaleb's effort to give Villa the advantage in the shootout but was warned for his persistent mind games in the Stade Pierre Mauroy.

The Argentine was then shown a second yellow card for his antics and appeared to have been sent off only to be reprieved by the rule which states that yellow cards awarded during regular time are not carried forward to penalty shootouts.

Villa's Leon Bailey then missed his spot kick but Martinez proved the hero as he kept out Benjamin Andre's effort to seal a 4-3 shoot-out win for Unai Emery's side.

Martinez raced the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the ecstatic away fans.

"He is very important for us. He has his personality and his personality in the dressing room is very important because he is a leader with his experiences," Emery said of his keeper.

"He has a really brilliant mentality. And then on the pitch he has his personality and he played fantastic. He saved two penalty shots so of course I am very proud of him. I am very proud of all the players."

It happened again. pic.twitter.com/dYF6Yjujrk

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 18, 2024

It is the first time Villa have reached a European semifinal since 1982.

Lille had led 2-0 with goals by Yusuf Yazici and Andre but Matty Cash's deflected effort in the 87th minute sent the tie into extra time.

Fernabahce's tumultuous week continued on Thursday with a stirring second half fightback in a 3-2 loss at Olympiakos to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the Europa Conference League semifinals.

The Turkish outfit appeared to be done and dusted after an hour's play, with their Greek hosts bossing the quarterfinal first leg by three goals.

Kostas Fortounis and Stevan Jovetic put Olympiakos firmly in control by halftime, with Chiquinho consolidating their advantage on 57 minutes.

But a 68th minute penalty from Dusan Tadic followed by Irfan Can Kahveci's 74th minute contribution gave Fenerbahce a lifeline ahead of next week's return leg in Turkey.

Cool as you like from Dušan Tadić 🥶

📸: @Fenerbahce || #UECL pic.twitter.com/Btel2vxx44

— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) April 11, 2024

Fenerbahce went into the fixture hours after copping a €115 000  fine over their Turkish Supercup protest at the weekend.

Fenerbahce walked off the field in the opening minutes of the fixture against Galatasaray on Sunday as a protest against alleged unfair treatment.

Fenerbahce fielded an Under-19 team for the game against their Istanbul rivals. Galatasaray went ahead after three minutes with Fenerbahce then walking off in a pre-planned protest.

The Turkish Football Federation awarded Galatasaray a 3-0 win and issued Fenerbahce with the six-figure fine.

"It's time for Turkish football to be reset," Fenerbahce president Ali Koc had told a press conference before the match.

Fenerbahce are chasing their first Turkish title since 2014 and are two points behind champions Galatasaray with seven rounds to go. Fenerbahce claim they are being picked on.

They had asked for the Supercup to be postponed ahead of their Conference League quarterfinal.

With their tails up they will be desperate to finish off Olympiakos on home turf next week.

Last season's beaten finalits in Europe's third-tier continental competition Fiorentina were held to a goalless draw at Viktoria Plzen in the Czech Republic.

Later on Thursday English Premier League highflyers Aston Villa host Lille, with Greek outfit PAOK at Club Brugge.

Aston Villa will take on French side Lille in the quarterfinals of the Europa Conference League as they continue their quest to win a first European trophy in more than 40 years.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Aston Villa vs Lille 🇫🇷#UECLdraw pic.twitter.com/M0bsw79wLW

— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) March 15, 2024

Villa crushed Ajax 4-0 on aggregate in the last 16 and will now host Lille in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie before heading to France for the return a week later.

They are aiming to claim their third continental title following their victory in the European Cup in 1982 and the Uefa Super Cup the following season.

Villa manager Unai Emery has a remarkable European record, having won the Europa League as coach three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.

Lille, who sit fourth in Ligue 1, are through to a European quarterfinal for the first time in their history.

The winners of that tie will advance to a semifinal against either Greek giants Olympiakos or Fenerbahce of Turkey, who meet in the last eight.

Meanwhile, last season's runners-up Fiorentina will take on Czech side Viktoria Plzen in the quarterfinals, with the winners of that meeting either Club Brugge of Belgium or PAOK of Greece next.

This season's Conference League final will be played in Athens at the OPAP Arena on May 29.

Roma won the inaugural Conference League in 2022, with West Ham United lifting the trophy last season.

A dominant second-half display gave Aston Villa a 4-0 home win against Ajax on Thursday, booking a spot for Unai Emery's side in the quarterfinals of the Europa Conference League.

Five minutes before limping off injured, Ollie Watkins headed Villa into a first-half lead and Leon Bailey, Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby then tied up the match as Villa ran rampant in the second half against 10-man Ajax.

After a goalless first leg in Amsterdam last week, the two teams started the match showing more physicality than inventiveness and both picked up yellow cards in the first 15 minutes.

Watkins then got himself into the book three minutes later with a late tackle on goalkeeper Diant Ramaj that left the England striker needing treatment on the sidelines.

Watkins showed no signs of lingering damage on 25 minutes when he rose unchallenged at the near post from Douglas Luiz's corner and glanced a header into the far corner.

But he was soon forced from the pitch, succumbing to the hurt picked up inside the opening 20 minutes.

Villa looked the more likely of the two to score in the second half and Bailey duly doubled the hosts' lead on the hour mark.

Luiz laid the ball off to Bailey and the Jamaican stood up Jorrel Hato in the box with a couple of step-overs before rolling the ball past the 'keeper.

The match was over as a contest when midfielder Sivert Mannsverk picked up a second yellow 24 minutes from time, Ajax's second red of the tie after Tristan Gooijer in the first leg.

Duran hammered home Villa's third via the crossbar in the 75th minute and Diaby completed the rout six minutes later with a confident left-footed finish as Ajax's defence crumbled.

PAOK, FIORENTINA ADVANCE

PAOK put on a sensational performance in Greece to beat Dinamo Zagreb 5-1 on the night, overturning a two-goal deficit from the first leg.

Baba Rahman and Brandon Llamas struck either side of a Petar Sucic own-goal to give the hosts a 3-2 aggregate lead at halftime.

Arber Hoxha levelled matters for Zagreb four minutes into the second half but goals from Konstantinos Koulierakis and Andrija Zivkovic in the last 20 minutes gave PAOK an impressive 5-3 win over both legs.

Fiorentina edged out Maccabi Haifa 5-4 on aggregate, following a 1-1 second-leg draw in Tuscany that did not quite have the entertainment value of last week's seven-goal thriller.

Union Saint-Gilloise earned a win their fans will remember at Fenerbahce but Mathias Rasmussen's single goal on the night could not wipe out the Turkish side's three-goal lead from the first leg.

Fellow Belgians Club Brugge did manage to come from behind, however, winning 3-0 at home against Molde to progress 4-2 on aggregate.

Lille drew 1-1 with Austrian visitors Sturm Graz but progressed with ease after their 3-0 win in the first leg.

Following a second goalless match, Viktoria Plzen overcame visitors Servette 3-1 on penalties to progress to the Europa Conference League quarterfinals.

Maccabi Tel Aviv and Olympiakos have gone to extra-time after the Greeks improbably overcame a 4-1 defeat in the first leg and equalled the score away from home.

The draw for the quarterfinals, semifinals and final will take place on 15 March at Nyon, Switzerland.

British police said on Saturday 46 men have been charged after "serious disorder outside" Villa Park on Thursday in the build up to a Europa Conference League soccer game in which authorities said five officers were injured.

"Of those, 43 have been charged with a public order offence, while two have been charged with assaulting police officers and another has been charged with possession of a knife," West Midland's Police said in a statement.

The unrest occurred ahead of kickoff in a game between Aston Villa and Legia Warsaw. Villa won the match 2-1.

"Those charged are aged between 21 and 63, and around 40 are believed to be from Poland. A small number are believed to be UK residents," West Midland's Police said.

Police said all apart from one of the men were due in court on Saturday and a special court had been set up at Birmingham magistrates court to begin hearing the cases this morning.

On Friday, Aston Villa said they had lodged a complaint with Uefa over the conduct of Legia Warsaw and the behaviour of the club's supporters.

Legia Warsaw initially claimed that Villa had given them a lower allocation of tickets than they were entitled to under Uefa regulations.

"Due to the inability to authenticate and distribute tickets effectively, Legia Warsaw returned the tickets to the host club," Legia Warsaw said in a statement on Saturday.

"We emphasize that none of the individuals detained by the police had tickets for yesterday's match. Therefore, we strongly object to Legia Warsaw being blamed for Thursday's incidents in Birmingham."

In Friday's statement, Villa said Legia Warsaw had been informed of the ticket allocation details four weeks before the match, adding that the Polish team's officials had refused to confirm if they would accept their allocation until 4pm on Thursday.

Aston Villa have made an official complaint to Uefa over the violent behaviour of Legia Warsaw fans prior to Thursday's Europa Conference League clash.

Villa's 2-1 victory was marred by ugly scenes that left four police officers injured after clashes with Legia hooligans.

Flares and missiles were thrown at police as Legia supporters were held in a coach park near Villa Park, with 46 arrests made in a bid to restore order.

Legia Warszawa🇵🇱 fans have been DENIED entry to their game vs Aston Villa🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 tonight after fighting with Police officers outside the stadium 😰❌ pic.twitter.com/dohdX0d0AD

— 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 (@thecasualultra) November 30, 2023

Although the game started on time and no Legia fans were allowed in, a breakaway group managed to get near the stadium to throw bottles towards Villa fans inside the stands from the street outside.

Legia Warsaw fans clearly not happy about not getting into the ground! pic.twitter.com/OYG0Fpixkw

— Spank The Bookies (@SpankTheBookies) November 30, 2023

Villa had reduced Legia's ticket allocation over fears of crowd trouble and they accused the Polish club of a "complete lack of cooperation" with themselves, the police and Uefa.

"Aston Villa can confirm it has lodged an official complaint with Uefa over the conduct of Legia Warsaw Football Club and the behaviour of their supporters prior to last night's Uefa Europa Conference League match at Villa Park," the Premier League club said in a statement on Friday.

"Four police officers were injured and 46 Legia supporters arrested after unprecedented violence by the Polish fans outside the stadium.

"This shocking behaviour followed Legia club officials' complete lack of cooperation with West Midlands Police, Aston Villa and Uefa throughout the day.

"Legia Warsaw refused to confirm if they would accept their allocation of tickets for the match at that point. This is in stark contrast to normal Uefa operational procedures."

Chris Heck, president of business operations at Villa, said: "The lack of cooperation and prevarication from Legia Warsaw officials prior to the match was entirely unacceptable and deeply disappointing.

"This behaviour increased the danger that West Midlands Police officers and our own fans were subjected to before the game and the scenes of disorder from the Legia fans have no place in modern football or civilised society.

"Aston Villa will be making further representations to Uefa in order to ensure that other clubs and police forces across Europe are not exposed to similar serious safety risks at the hands of Legia Warsaw."

Unai Emery believes Aston Villa can end a 27-year wait for silverware on their return to European football this season in the Europa Conference League.

Ollie Watkins scored a hat-trick as Villa had far too much firepower for Scottish side Hibernian in a 5-0 playoff, first leg win on Wednesday to close in on the group stage.

Emery won the Europa League four times during spells in charge of Sevilla and Villarreal.

The Spaniard also led Arsenal to the 2019 Europa League final and Villarreal to the Champions League semifinals in 2022.

"We want to be successful in the Conference League. It's important to be in Europe and do something," said Emery after the routine victory in Edinburgh.

?????????????? Ollie Watkins = ?????????????????????? ??

A hat-trick for the forward as Aston Villa take a 5-0 lead into the second-leg ??@AVFCOfficial || #UECL pic.twitter.com/G4XiVBEIrU

— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) August 24, 2023

Emery revealed earlier in the week he is inspired every day by seeing pictures of Villa's 1982 European Cup winning side at the club's training ground.

VIlla's fortunes were transformed after the former Paris Saint-Germain boss was put in charge last season.

Emery took over a side just outside the relegation zone in October after Steven Gerrard was sacked and led them a seventh-placed finish to secure European football for the first time in 13 years.

"It's not only about tonight or the Conference League, it's also about building a strong mentality," added Emery.

"I want us to try and do something in the FA Cup, Carabao (League) Cup, and Europe is special because we can be candidates to get a trophy.

"The Conference League might be the third competition but there are a lot of great teams so it's important for us."

Osasuna will not play in Europe's third-tier Conference League next season after the LaLiga club said on Tuesday that they have been excluded from the competition by continental soccer body Uefa due to a match-fixing scandal from a decade ago.

Osasuna qualified for the Conference League playoff round after finishing seventh in LaLiga last term.

However, the club was embroiled in a match-fixing scandal in the 2013-14 season. A trial in early 2020 resulted in the conviction of several of the club's former directors, a decision that was welcomed by the administration that succeeded them.

Under Uefa rules any team implicated in match-fixing since April 2007 can be excluded from the next European competition they qualify for. Osasuna have not qualified for a Uefa competition since the 2006-07 season.

Osasuna plan to appeal the Uefa ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The Uefa decision means LaLiga's eight-placed side Athletic Bilbao are set to go into the playoff round instead. The first leg is scheduled for August 24.

"Osasuna does not share at all the criteria of Uefa or the investigation of the case carried out and regrets the wrong message that Uefa sends to the world of football (by) punishing those who denounce corruption and prosecute it in court," the club said in a statement.

"The members of the Uefa Appeals Committee have not taken into account the allegations presented by the club last Friday and have reaffirmed the initial opinion of the inspectors of the Uefa Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Committee."

Osasuna added that they will continue to explore all legal options to be able to play in Europe next season.

Reuters has asked Uefa for comment.

The Conference League qualifying rounds for the 2023-24 season start next week.

Uefa has shortened the name of its third-tier competition from "Europa Conference League" to "Conference League" from the 2024-25 season, European football's governing body said on Wednesday.

The 2024 and 2025 finals will be held in Athens and Wroclaw respectively, while Lisbon will host the 2025 Women's Champions League final at Sporting's Estadio Jose Alvalade.

The new Agia Sofia Stadium, home of AEK Athens, will be observed by Uefa officials until this November before confirming the 2024 final there.

?? The @europacnfleague will be renamed to ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????? as of the 2024/25 season.

?? Research has found that removing ‘Europa’ from the name of the competition will enable further development as a stand-alone competition.

Details: ??#UECL

— UEFA (@UEFA) June 28, 2023

Fiorentina and West Ham United have both been charged for the behaviour of their fans in Wednesday's Europa Conference League final in Prague, European soccer's governing body Uefa said on Friday.

The referee was forced to stop play midway through the first half after West Ham fans threw objects at Fiorentina's Cristiano Biraghi, hitting the defender on the head and drawing blood.

Both teams will face charges for the throwing of objects. In addition, Fiorentina will be charged for the lighting of fireworks, while West Ham will be charged for the invasion of the field by their supporters.

Czech police also said they had detained 16 Fiorentina supporters after they attacked West Ham fans in a local bar and a police officer before the match.

The match ended in a 2-1 win for West Ham after Jarrod Bowen slid home a 90th-minute winner.

07/06/2023 Finale de Conférence League. Fiorentina ???? - West Ham ??????????????

Cristiano Biraghi visé par les supporters de West Ham pic.twitter.com/qbHtOaP69x

— CasualMouv’ (@UltrasMouv) June 7, 2023

Jarrod Bowen ensured the biggest game of his career had a fairytale finish as he snatched a 90th-minute winner to kick off a "crazy" party as West Ham United clinched their first major European trophy in 58 years.

A tense Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina at Prague's Eden Arena looked like it was heading to extra time when Bowen latched onto a through ball and then outpaced the defenders before firing into the net to secure a 2-1 win.

The forward said he had been primed and ready for one final chance when it came and the celebrations looked set to last long into the night.

"I’m so buzzing. We're just going to go mad I think. I'm not going to put a filter on it. I'm not going to give a responsible answer. This party tonight is going to be crazy," he told reporters.

"There was one more chance and we won it," he added to BT Sport.

"We had a dream, we haven't had the best season, myself included, but to give these fans this moment, I'm over the moon. Never (have I felt like this in my life). This is the biggest game of my career. The emotion, there was time for one more chance. I'm just so happy."

The winning goal, after Fiorentina had dominated possession for large portions of the game, sent West Ham manager David Moyes racing down the touchline in celebration.

"The minute Jarrod went through I was edging down the touchline; if there was anybody who was going to score it was going to be Jarrod," said Moyes, whose jubilation had the hallmarks of some of Jose Mourinho's exuberant celebrations.

"I couldn’t do the full Mourinho because I can’t slide on my knees and the grass was a bit dry, and I didn’t want to fall on my belly."

West Ham captain Declan Rice, who has been linked with a move away from the club in the close season, lauded Moyes as one of the club's best-ever managers.

"There has been times this year when he's been tested," Rice told BT Sport. "If you actually look at his time at this club, he's saved us twice, got us into Europe two years in a row and now he's won this. I think he's up there as West Ham's best ever manager now."

Rice joins the likes of West Ham's other trophy-winning skippers including club greats such as Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, something the midfielder said was a huge honour.

"To be even in that conversation is crazy. The last six years I've played my heart out for this club. We've not had it easy. To win this now, is just another level. To be in that category now, I don't want to say too much as I don't want to get too excited."

West Ham took the lead in the second half with a Said Benrahma penalty only for Fiorentina to equalise five minutes later. West Ham had looked to be holding on for extra time before Bowen's heroics.

"Everyone is happy; let's party," West Ham Defender Kurt Zouma told BT Sport: "We were confident we would win. We had a good feeling. It is time to celebrate now."

As Declan Rice cradled the Europa Conference League trophy in his arms, the West Ham captain could reflect on the end of a 43-year odyssey and the likely start of new chapter in his inspirational story.

In what looks set to be his last West Ham game, Rice bowed out in fairytale fashion as Jarrod Bowen's last minute winner clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory against Fiorentina in Prague on Wednesday.

Written off by Chelsea as a tearful teenager and doubted even by the club where he eventually made his name, Rice will go down in history as only the third man to lift major silverware in West Ham colours.

Bobby Moore hoisted the 1964 FA Cup final and 1965 Cup Winners' Cup, while Billy Bonds was skipper when West Ham won the 1975 and 1980 FA Cups.

Both Bonds and Moore are West Ham legends, a status Rice now enjoys as well after Wednesday's cathartic Conference League triumph ended the club's trophy drought.

"I'm still in shock. It's incredible. I love this club, they've made me one of their own," Rice said.

"There is interest from other clubs. Let's wait and see. Who knows."

Yet as Rice blinked away tears of joy after the final whistle, the 24-year-old knew he would be leaving the Czech capital facing a defining moment in his career.

West Ham boss David Moyes last month admitted he was "fully aware" there was "a good chance" the England midfielder will be sold before the start of next season.

Rice has made it clear he wants to play in the Champions League, something currently beyond the wildest dreams of West Ham, who finished 14th in the Premier League this season.

He is valued at around £100 million, but that won't deter Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Bayern Munich in the race for his signature.

Even if Rice strikes it rich by ending his nine-year stay in east London, the scars from his painful Chelsea exit as a dejected 14-year-old will continue to spur him to new heights.

Rice's rise to stardom began with a kick in the teeth when he was released by Chelsea in 2014 after eight years in their youth academy.

Even after joining West Ham, Rice was the only player in his year group given a scholarship without the offer of a guaranteed professional contract.

But over 200 appearances later, with three club player of the year awards on his CV and a Europa Conference League medal around his neck, Rice has proved all the doubters wrong.

SWEET VINDICATION

While Rice's emotional response to the victory over Fiorentina was understandable, his usually taciturn manager gave voice to his own feelings in the after-glow of a victory that could have saved his job.

Reports last week suggested Moyes might be sacked if West Ham lost the final after a troubled domestic season.

But the 60-year-old Scot has surely earned a reprieve thanks to the first major trophy of his career.

Since becoming a manager 25 years ago, Moyes' only silverware had been the 2000 third-tier title with Preston and the 2013 Community Shield at Manchester United.

He lasted just nine months at United in a disastrous spell as Alex Ferguson's successor that came to overshadow his otherwise admirable career.

"This is fantastic. I've had a long career and you don't get many moments like this," said Moyes, who celebrated on the Eden Arena pitch with his 87-year-old father.

In many ways, West Ham and Moyes are kindred spirits.

Although West Ham dub themselves "The Academy" in a proud reference to their record of developing stars including Moore, Geoff Hurst, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard, the club have long been regarded as underachievers.

But for the first time since Trevor Brooking's header clinched a shock win against Arsenal in the 1980 FA Cup final, Moyes and his club can enjoy a moment of sweet vindication.

In the West Ham dressing room in Prague, a poster of Moore holding the Cup Winners' Cup was emblazoned with the slogan 'Never Give Up'.

For Rice, Moyes and everyone associated with West Ham, the message seemed especially apt on a night they will never forget.

Jarrod Bowen slid home a90th-minute winner as West Ham United secured a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday to clinch a first major European trophy in over half a century.

The match at Prague's Eden Arena looked like it was heading to extra time when Lucas Paqueta slipped a ball through to Bowen who outpaced the defenders and fired past Fiorentina keeper Pietro Terracciano.

"I obviously dreamed of scoring but to score the winner in the last minute. It's what you always say you want to do. To do it in front of these fans. I thought I was going to cry. I'm just happy," Bowen told BT Sport.

JARROD BOWEN PUTS WEST HAM AHEAD AND GIVES THEM THEIR FIRST EUROPEAN TROPHY SINCE 1965 ??#UECLfinal pic.twitter.com/eHLyGuDhHo

— SuperSport Football ?? (@SSFootball) June 7, 2023

West Ham took the lead in the 62nd minute when Said Benrahma converted a penalty after a VAR review confirmed a handball by the Italian side's captain Cristiano Biraghi, who had been a thorn in West Ham's side with his runs down the flank.

Fiorentina immediately stepped up the pace after going behind and were rewarded five minutes later when Giacomo Bonaventura controlled the ball with two defenders on him and sent an angled shot past West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola.

Both sides struggled to create much in a nervy opening half with Fiorentina controlling possession but lacking a cutting edge in the final third, while West Ham had long spells without the ball.

When the referee blew the final whistle, the West Ham players raced to the corner to celebrate in front of their fans who revelled in the team's first win in a European final since they lifted the Cup Winners' Cup in 1965.

"It hurts to lose like this. We played well but we can't concede such an easy goal in the final minutes. The team gave their all but in certain situations we have to be more concentrated – keep controlling the game and pressing. In finals, small details make the difference," said Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic.

The supporters of both teams made their presence felt in a noisy atmosphere, though the referee was forced to stop play midway through the opening half after West Ham fans threw cups at Fiorentina's Biraghi, hitting the defender on the head and drawing blood. Uefa had allotted only 5 780 tickets to each club, leaving legions of supporters unable to attend the match at Slavia Prague's stadium with a capacity set at 18 000 for the final.

Many thousands of West Ham supporters instead watched the match in bars and fan zones aground the city.

Earlier in the day, Czech police said they had detained 16 Fiorentina supporters after they attacked West Ham fans in a local bar and a police officer.

 

Czech police detained 16 suspects after a group of black-clad Fiorentina fans attacked West Ham United supporters in a bar in central Prague on Wednesday ahead of the Europa Conference League final, injuring three patrons, authorities said.

Video on Twitter showed fans setting off flares and throwing tables at the bar located just off Prague's Old Town Square. A police officer was also attacked.

"Italy fans attacked West Ham fans in a bar on Rytirska street, injuring three," Czech police said on Twitter. "A police officer was also attacked. We have restricted the personal liberty of 16 people."

Prague police have called in several hundred officers to patrol the event as they braced for an estimated 20 000 West Ham supporters - many without match tickets - to revel in their team's first European competition final in nearly half a century.

Crazy clashes between Fiorentina Ultras and West Ham fans in Prague before the Conference League final. ??

?? @RobHarris pic.twitter.com/CI2PXLXoRZ

— Football Tweet ?? (@Football__Tweet) June 7, 2023

Fiorentina and West Ham meet in the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday 7 June. 

When is it? How can you watch it? All you need to know about the UEFA Europa Conference League final between Fiorentina and West Ham.

Form Guide
Fiorentina
Form (all competitions, most recent first): WWLDWW
Where they finished: 8th in Italian Serie A

West Ham
Form: LWWLWW
Where they finished: 14th in English Premier League

Catch the action live on SuperSport at 9pm CAT

What do you need to know?

Fiorentina have not won a major European title since the 1960/61 European Cup Winners' Cup, but the Viola can dare to dream in Prague. They have firepower like no other side in the Europa Conference League this season, having scored 36 goals in 14 games en route to the final (including seven for competition top scorer Arthur Cabral).

Semifinalists in the Europa League last season, David Moyes's West Ham have gone a step further in the Europa Conference League and a first major continental success since 1965 is in sight. They may have reason to feel at home in Prague too: both Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal played at Eden Arena during their time at Slavia Praha.

View from the camps

Vincenzo Italiano, Fiorentina coach: "When we got to the stadium, my first thoughts were the start of this path; the play-offs in the Netherlands, and the 14 difficult games which gave us the chance to come here to play for a trophy. It was an incredible journey in which we grew match by match. West Ham were one of the strongest teams in the tournament and they proved that by reaching the final. They have top-quality players, very strong. But we also reached the final so we are also strong and we are here to play all our cards. We are ready."

Italiano: 'Every detail counts'

David Moyes, West Ham coach: "To be in a European final for any manager is a thrill. Hopefully it's a start [for West Ham] – I've always said I think the best years are to come – but I'm certainly enjoying the moment. I've been hugely impressed by Fiorentina; their form since the World Cup has been very good. They've already got to one final [in the Coppa Italia] so that tells me they've got something. A difficult opponent; an Italian opponent is always difficult, so we respect that."

Possible starting line-ups

Fiorentina: Terracciano; Dodô, Igor, Milenković, Biraghi; Mandragora, Amrabat; González, Bonaventura, Ikoné; Jović

West Ham: Aréola; Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell; Souček, Rice, Paquetá; Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano says his side gained vital experience in last month's Coppa Italia final defeat to Inter Milan that will stand them in good stead when they take on West Ham United in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.

Italiano's side will face their second final of the season after they lost 2-1 to Inter in Rome.

It will be their first European final since they lost to Juventus in the Uefa Cup in 1990, and Italiano is convinced the outcome will depend on their mentality and the way they approach the game.

"Compared to the final in Rome we gained a bit of experience. If there is something we learn from it, it's not the result, it's how we played it. We realised that one mistake in a final is worth 10 in a normal match," he told a press conference on Tuesday.

Fiorentina, who finished eighth in the Serie A standings, reached the Europa Conference League final after Antonin Barek's late goal in extra time gave them a 3-1 win over Basle that secured a 4-3 aggregate victory.

The Italian side have played 16 games en route to the final which Italiano described as "long and difficult".

"Tomorrow we will be looking to maintain our playing philosophy. I am focused on how to prepare for this match, I am the orchestra conductor and I have to be brave and not get carried away by emotions," he said.

West Ham United's Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina is the pinnacle of David Moyes's career, the manager said on Tuesday as he called on his players to end the Premier League club's 43-year wait for silverware.

West Ham have not reached a European final since the 1976 European Cup Winners' Cup. Wednesday's final against Fiorentina in Prague will give the London side a chance to win their first major trophy since the FA Cup in 1980.

Moyes has never lifted a major trophy as a manager.

"This is the biggest moment of my career. To be a football coach for as long as I have been must mean I'm doing something right.

"... what does it mean to West Ham to be in a European final? I think if we said this at the start of the season, people wouldn't have believed it.

"It's a big achievement to get through to a European final. It's not easy to get all the way through and we've been competitive. It's a great achievement for all the players and the next part is to see if we can go on and win it."

"Sir Alex was the last one to win as a Scottish manager not only that, but as a British manager as well."

Busby, Shankly, Ferguson... ????????????????

David Moyes could join an elite list next Wednesday if he gets the job done with West Ham.

#UECLfinal pic.twitter.com/wPyGiiVrev

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) June 2, 2023

West Ham were last in action on 28 May, when they were beaten by Leicester City on the last day of the Premier League season. Fiorentina's league campaign, on the other hand, only ended last weekend.

Asked how his West Ham side had struck a balance between rest and work during the last week, Moyes said: "We went to Portugal for two or three days, trained and enjoyed it.

"I think we've played 56 games this season across all competitions, and last year was over 60. We've been building up to get ready for the game. Hopefully the 10-day gap isn't a problem because of the games we've played...

"The most important thing is being prepared and doing the things that got you to this place in the first place. We're unbeaten this season and we got to the semifinal last season so our record in Europe is very good. Hopefully we can continue that."

Thousands of West Ham United fans descended on Prague on Tuesday ahead of the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina, filling local pubs and singing in the streets as they celebrated throughout the historic city centre.

Prague police called in several hundred officers to patrol the event as they braced for an estimated 20 000 West Ham supporters - many without match tickets - to revel in their team's first European competition final in nearly half a century.

Uefa allotted only 5 780 tickets to each club, leaving legions of supporters unable to attend the match at Slavia Prague's stadium with a capacity set at 18 000 for the final.

West Ham supporter Holly Turbutt hoped for a "miracle" to land a ticket but said she has resigned herself to watching the match in one of the fan zones the city has erected for those unable to get into the stadium.

"Obviously, we would have liked it to have been in a bigger stadium where loads of people could have been there because it is such a special event," she said. "But we're going to make the most of it. Enjoy that fan zone and soak in every moment."

Both West Ham and Italy's Fiorentina - whose solitary European successes came over half a century ago - are treating Wednesday's showdown like a World Cup final, though it was difficult spotting supporters of the Serie A side in Prague.

Fiorentina, who lost to Real Madrid in the second European Cup final in 1957, won the first edition of the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1961. They lost in the final the next season and lost to Juventus in a two-legged Uefa Cup final in 1990. Read full story

West Ham won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1965 for their only moment of continental glory. They lost in the 1976 final and the closest they have come since, excluding their 1999 Intertoto Cup victory, was last season's Europa League semifinals.

For George Maddy, watching West Ham in a cup final in Europe was too good an opportunity to pass up even if it meant a roundabout journey to arrive via Germany and shelling out 1 400 pounds ($1 738) for a match ticket.

"So, I know it's a lot of money but for me the opportunity is worth it, really, because as I say, this is certainly once in a generation and for some people it's once in a lifetime, really," Maddy said outside a pub in the centre.

The visitors have received a warm welcome from pub owners who expect capacity crowds drinking copious amounts of famous Czech beer in the run-up to the match and well beyond the final whistle.

Frank Haughton, an owner of a number of Irish pubs in Prague, has boosted security for the match but so far described a cheerful atmosphere filled with fans happy to soak up the experience and a few beverages.

"When football comes sometimes you get a little bit nervous about what kind of supporter you're going to get... but these guys started arriving yesterday and I must say so far they're a very nice crew," Haughton said.

"These guys mainly drink beer," he added. "We expect our sales to be 95 per cent alcohol and 5 per cent food."

West Ham defender Thilo Kehrer has urged his team to make history by winning their first major trophy for 43 years when they face Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.

The Hammers haven't lifted a significant piece of silverware since Trevor Brooking's header clinched a shock win against Arsenal in the 1980 FA Cup final.

In their first major European final since 1976, when they lost to Anderlecht in the Cup Winners' Cup, West Ham are on the brink of finally ending their trophy drought.

West Ham's most recent final was a painful penalty shootout defeat against a Liverpool side inspired by Steven Gerrard's masterclass in the 2006 FA Cup.

But David Moyes' men arrive in Prague as firm favourites to win the Europa Conference League against a Fiorentina team that finished eighth in Serie A.

Although West Ham came a disappointing 14th in the Premier League this term, they will never get a better chance to win the fifth major trophy in their history.

Although West Ham dub themselves "The Academy" in a proud reference to their record of developing stars including Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard, the club have rarely parlayed those talents into success.

Their sole triumph in Europe came in the 1965 Cup Winners' Cup when Moore and Hurst were among the side that beat 1860 Munich in the final.

That was the club's golden era as Moore, Hurst and Martin Peters, another homegrown West Ham product, played key roles in England's World Cup final victory against West Germany a year later.

Kehrer knows Moyes' team have a chance to make their own history against Fiorentina.

"I said at the beginning of the season without knowing how it would go, bringing a title to West Ham is a big goal," the German said.

"Making history is being in the final. Now our focus and vision is completing the goal.

"You can feel the excitement of everybody around the club. For us players it's great to be in that place.

"We have the squad and quality to do it, so we're very confident."

EXTRA PRESSURE

Last season, West Ham lost to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League semifinals.

They have made amends by reaching the final of a competition much-maligned in some quarters, but never again among West Ham supporters.

While West Ham are expected to bring home the silverware, there is extra pressure on them amid speculation about Moyes' future.

Reports have circulated this week that Moyes could be sacked if they don't win the final after a troubled domestic campaign featuring poor performances from several of his expensive new signings.

"To be in a cup final is special, certainly for West Ham because it's been a while since we've been there," Moyes said.

"The only focus I've got is to win the game. I'm not thinking any further ahead than that."

Declan Rice has been one of the few West Ham players to shine and the England midfielder – linked with Arsenal, Manchester City and Bayern Munich – could be playing his last game after Moyes admitted he is likely to leave in the close season.

Adding to the tension around West Ham is the potential for trouble on the streets of Prague.

Despite having a ticket allocation of only 6 000, around 20 000 West Ham fans are expected to make the trip to the Czech capital.

There will be a huge police presence after ugly clashes between fans before and after West Ham's semifinal second-leg win at AZ Alkmaar.

But Kehrer is confident the fans will provide an uplifting presence as West Ham set their sights on a historic night.

"We feel the support of every one of our fans. We are taking that energy with us to Prague," he said.

West Ham and Fiorentina will seek to earn a long-awaited addition to their trophy case as they clash in the Europa Conference League final in Prague on Wednesday.

Both clubs' European trophies have become genuine antiques by now as Fiorentina won the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1961, while West Ham dominated the same competition in 1965.

The winner in the Czech capital will secure a place in next season's Europa League, a thrilling prospect for both teams who have failed to qualify for a European competition from their leagues.

West Ham, led by midfield engine Declan Rice, finished 14th in the Premiership after battling the threat of relegation for much of the season. They will be seeking their first major trophy since winning the FA Cup in 1980.

Fiorentina, eighth in Serie A, took the last major honours in 2001 when they won the Italian Cup.

Both teams have made it very clear they are determined to become the second name on the Conference League trophy following Roma, who won the maiden edition last year.

"This will be the pinnacle for a lot of players. It will certainly be the biggest game of my career," West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen told the club website.

"The main priority is to win the game... I want to be part of the squad that gives the fans that moment and that's what we're all striving to do," he added.

Fiorentina manager Vincenzo Italiano said the Viola wanted to "put the icing on the cake" in Prague following an "extraordinary season".

"Personally, I'm very happy to be in a final and to have the chance to lift a trophy," said Italiano, whose team lost the Italian Cup final to Inter Milan last month.

But he knows the East Londoners, who reached the Europa League semifinals last year, will be a hard nut to crack.

"Even if they haven't done very well in the Premier League, they are still a very dangerous team."

"We will need the utmost commitment. We will play like Fiorentina," Italiano said.

Italiano and West Ham manager David Moyes have nearly full squads at their disposal apart from long-term injury absences such as Fiorentina goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca.

'LIKE A FAIRYTALE'

The game at Prague's Eden Arena will have special meaning for three Czech players – West Ham's Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal and Fiorentina's Antonin Barak.

All three played for Slavia Prague at the Eden Arena before moving abroad, and they have relished the opportunity to come back home.

"This is a final and at home. It's a combination that beats everything," Soucek told the Czech news agency CTK, hailing the final as "the biggest game of my career".

"It's like a fairytale," added the 28-year-old midfielder, whose early career was at Slavia Prague.

West Ham will get the home side's dressing room, and more than 5 000 of the team's fans will occupy the home stands at the compact Eden venue, which has a total capacity of 18 000 for the game.

"I will feel at home and I only hope I will show it on the pitch," Soucek said.

Prague will open fan zones with large screens for each team in the city centre.

They will accommodate fans who will travel to the Czech Republic but do not have tickets, and serve as meeting points for those travelling to the stadium.

Hundreds of police will be deployed to prevent violence between supporters, following clashes between West Ham and Alkmaar fans in both legs of their semifinal.