West Ham beat Fiorentina to win Europa Conference League - reaction

1. Use audio icon at top of page to listen BBC Radio 5 Live commentary from the Fortuna Arena, Prague
2. FT: Fiorentina 1-2 West Ham - Benrahma penalty puts Hammers ahead; Bonaventura levels soon after before Bowen scores late winner
3. Fiorentina's Biraghi hit on head by object thrown from West Ham end
4. West Ham secure a first major trophy for 43 years
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I will always support an English team against continental opposition. I also think David Moyes deserves a major trophy and that comes from a Liverpool supporter. Come on you Hammers.

Peter

C’mon Moysey! All Evertonians are with you and West Ham.

Mike

Hope it's a quiet night for the referee

Simon Stone

BBC Sport in Prague

After everything that happened to Anthony Taylor and his family around last week's Europa League final, I hope this is a quiet one for Spanish referee Carlos del Cerro Grande and his team tonight.

It would be far better to talk about the players afterwards.

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I think this European Conference has been a success. I just think the matches have been fairly good, teams have bought into it and back in the day there used to be 3 European competitions which spreads out the opportunities. Therefore, more teams have that opportunity to play European football and it seems quite an open competition. Looking forward to the match tonight.

Higgy

Eyes on the prize

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Here's the trophy West Ham and Fiorentina players are hoping to get their hands on.

The Hammers fans are by far the loudest inside the ground at the moment as kick off approaches.

'You want to retire with accolades'

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West Ham striker Michail Antonio shares Jarrod Bowen's feelings, with the only other final he has been involved in being Southampton's Football League Trophy victory over Carlisle in 2010.

"It’s massive," he said. “We’ve not been in a [European] final for 47 years. I’ve won a JPT [Football League Trophy] final, so this is massive for me. It’s probably the biggest thing I’ve been involved in, in my life.

"Most people want to retire with some type of accolades and this is an opportunity for me to have those accolades. But it’s not just for me, it’s for everyone.

"They [West Ham] finished runners-up [in the 1976 Cup Winners' Cup] - we want to win it."

Bowen braced for 'biggest game of career'

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West Ham's Jarrod Bowen says today's game will be the "biggest" of his career.

The 26-year-old, who has four caps for England, has scored four goals and registered three assists in the competition this season.

"I’ve played for England, but I think achieving this with your teammates who you’ve been with together to get to a final and you have the opportunity to win a trophy together, it will be a massive moment," Bowen said.

"Of course, we’re all excited about being in the final of a European competition and this will be the pinnacle for a lot of players. It will certainly be the biggest game of my career."

'A great achievement'

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West Ham have won as many games in the Europa Conference League (13/14) as in all their domestic games (13/42) this season.

If they beat Fiorentina, they will be in next season's Europa League - otherwise they will not be in Europe.

"It's a big achievement to get through to a European final," said Hammers boss David Moyes. "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.

"This competition has been so good for us. The squad and players have really enjoyed it and I think the results and performances in the Europa Conference League speak for themselves."

More Hammers fans here

Simon Stone

BBC Sport in Prague

Both sides received approximately 5,000 tickets for this game.

However, looking at the ground, there are far more West Ham fans here than Fiorentina.

Each team has one end but the West Ham fans are all across the bottom of the stand I am sat in and they are at least half way across the one opposite me.

BBC Sport

West Ham

BBC Sport

West Ham

Atmosphere building

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There's just under 30 minutes to go until kick off and the stadium is filling up nicely now and there's already a good atmosphere.

€5m to the winner

Simon Stone

BBC Sport in Prague

Yes, lifting a trophy tonight is the most important thing.

Yes, claiming a place in next season's Europa League - final in Dublin - is also pretty significant.

But there is also a €5m (£4.3m) pay out to the winner. The loser gets €3m (£2.58m).

'Moyes will not underestimate Fiorentina'

Scott Minto

Former Chelsea and West Ham defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

The last two seasons and all the European games they [West Ham] have played in, they have learned from their mistakes. There is a real experience within this squad, now Fiorentina played in a cup final a couple weeks ago and West Ham have not done that.

He [David Moyes] will not be underestimating Fiorentina, but he will be feeling his players will do him justice and that they will bring him the trophy.

'We want to win it'

West Ham United

West Ham boss David Moyes, speaking to BT Sport: "I think we are fresh coming into the game, the players are in good spirits. We have been ready for the game for a few days now so hopefully the players can show it.

"We are really excited to be here in the final, it is a great achievement for the players but now we want the bigger step, we want to win it.

"We have scored a lot of goals in the games in Europe, we have been attacking and have created a lot of chances so I am hoping we can do that again."

Italy's ground issues

Simon Stone

BBC Sport in Prague

Fiorentina owner Rocco Commisso believes the Italian authorities need to help clubs compete with their Premier League counterparts by allowing them to develop their own stadiums.

Financially, the odds are stacked against them against West Ham tonight.

The Serie A side generated €233.23m (£200.43m) in 2021-22. However, almost a third of that figure came from the sale of striker Dusan Vlahovic to Juventus. By contrast, West Ham generated £255.1m (€296.85m) thanks, in part, to the Premier League’s massive TV deal.

West Ham, famously, do not own the London Stadium. However, local authority ownership of stadiums in Italy is commonplace.

Both Milan clubs are currently having huge problems in their efforts to develop the San Siro.

And for Fiorentina, who play at the 43,000-capacity Stadio Artemio Franchi, which was built in 1931, the issues are equally acute.

“Our number one issue why we can’t do as well as English clubs is that we don’t generate the revenue,” Commisso told BBC Sport.

“In England they have done a phenomenal job of cleaning up the sport since the disasters of 30 years ago. They changed the rules. They have regulated the drinking and don’t have the hooligans they used to have. They have also fixed the stadiums.

“Apart from West Ham, who have a 99-year lease, all the other stadiums are owned by the clubs. It is the other way around in Italy.

“Our stadium has been around for 100 years. It is a monument. But monuments need to be taken care of and the longer they last the better they are.

“In the meantime, if people come to our stadium and it rains, they get wet. Or if the sun shines you get burnt. The facilities are horrible.”

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How could Fiorentina hurt West Ham?

The Football News Show: What threat do Fiorentina pose to West Ham United?

Appearing in their first European final since 1990, Fiorentina are aiming to dash West Ham United's dreams in the Europa Conference League final.

Italian football writer Nicky Bandini outlines how the competition's top scorers could cause David Moyes' side problems in Prague on The Football News Show.

Fiorentina's valuable final defeat experience

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Fiorentina finished eighth in Serie A and lost the Coppa Italia final to Inter Milan.

Boss Vincenzo Italiano believes his side gained valuable experience in that Inter loss that will stand them in good stead in tonight's final.

"Compared to the final in Rome we gained a bit of experience," Italiano said.

"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."

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Like West Ham, Fiorentina have waited a long time to play in a European final again.

This is their first such game since they lost to Juventus in the Uefa Cup in 1990.

The two-legged final saw Fiorentina lose 3-1 at Juventus and then draw 0-0 at home.

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Really conflicted, I want to see West Ham win but ONLY if somehow Mark Noble can get a medal. Would've loved to have him at the toon, a true professional. Can't believe I'm saying this but come on you Irons.

Aaron, Newcastle fan

'This is what the fans live for'

Nigel Reo-Coker

Former West Ham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is fantastic what West Ham have achieved this season. Even with the indifferent form in the Premier League, at my time with West Ham and the fans I interacted with it is these moments that they live for.

'Bubbles everywhere'

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There are reports up to 20,000 West Ham fans, are in Prague, despite the club receiving just 4,890 tickets for the 19,370-capacity Fortuna Arena.

Singer Chesney Hawkes, who is performing in the FanZone there and is a massive West Ham fan, said: "It’s carnage out there. In old town square, [you] can't move. Bubbles everywhere. West Ham are massive.

"People are going crazy singing: 'Irons the one and only.' I might change the lyrics for the fanzone performance!"

Moyes stays loyal to Areola

Simon Stone

BBC Sport in Prague

There are two schools of thought around West Ham's goalkeeping situation.

The first is simple. This is a cup final. It's the chance to win the Hammers first silverware in 43 years. Pick your number one keeper.

The second centres around loyalty to the guy who has featured in every game of the tournament so far and is expected to eventually become West Ham's first choice.

David Moyes has gone with the latter option.