Fiorentina are determined to bounce back from their recent Coppa Italia heartbreak as they prepare to take on West Ham in the Europa Conference League final next week.
The Viola have been on a quest for their first major trophy since 2001 and reached two finals this season. Their ambitions were dashed last week, however, when they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Inter Milan. Lautaro Martinez’s brace canceled out Nicolas Gonzalez’s early strike, fueling Fiorentina’s resolve to triumph in Wednesday’s final against the Hammers in Prague.
In an interview with Sky Sports Italia, goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano highlighted the significance of the upcoming match. “It’s the game of the season in Prague. We’ll face a different opponent, but I am sure the same effort will be there against West Ham. This is our certainty, we’ll give our all to win the trophy.”
Vincenzo Italiano, Fiorentina’s head coach, stressed the need to learn from the mistakes made against Inter. “Every detail matters, and we want to give joy to our fans,” he said.
Currently in ninth place in Serie A, Fiorentina will face Sassuolo in their final league fixture on Friday before turning their attention to West Ham. Regarding David Moyes’ side, Italiano praised their abilities, saying, “They have a very competitive team with top-class players and a competent coach. We must focus on ourselves and be free in our minds.”
For Gonzalez, the scorer in last week’s final, the loss to Inter is not his only disappointment this season. The 25-year-old Argentine midfielder, who has earned 22 caps for his country, was left out of their World Cup-winning squad. With his teammates celebrating victory in Qatar, the upcoming final provides Gonzalez with an opportunity to claim a medal of his own.
Gonzalez spoke candidly about his feelings on the matter. “We lost the first one, but now there is another big game, and we want to win. I wasn’t fit for the World Cup, but some thought it was a fake injury. I never did it, I always want to be 100% when I play football. We have 90 minutes, and we want to make the difference.”
