Olympiakos Piraeus has made history, becoming the first Greek club to win a European cup, defeating Italy’s Fiorentina 1-0 in a tense Europa Conference League final held in Athens.
The match, which extended into extra time, concluded with a dramatic goal by Ayoub El Kaabi just five minutes before the end of the additional period, triggering celebrations across the country.
While the final may not have captivated neutral spectators, it was a nail-biting experience for the fans present. The teams played cautiously, maintaining a balanced game through 120 minutes, with a focus on solid defence.
Fiorentina showed more initiative in the first half, creating several opportunities. In contrast, Olympiakos’ performance was hampered by an off-night for Kostas Fortounis. However, the second half saw a revitalised Olympiakos attack following the introduction of Stevan Jovetic, a former Fiorentina player, who narrowly missed scoring early in extra time due to a remarkable save by Fiorentina’s goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano.
As the match seemed to be headed for penalties, a cross from Santiago Hezze found El Kaabi, who scored with a header, sealing the victory and etching the goal into Olympiakos’ lore. The final moments were both tense and exhilarating for the Reds’ supporters, culminating in an eruption of joy at the final whistle.
Greek authorities successfully managed the complex task of overseeing fan arrivals at the stadium, effectively locking down the Nea Filadelfia district of Athens for approximately 24 hours before the match.
Prior to the game, there were reports of vandalism at the stadium, owned by Olympiakos’ rival AEK Athens, and the arrest of a 48-year-old individual with a knife outside the venue. Additionally, two teenagers were detained for throwing stones at trains transporting Olympiakos fans.
PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES
Kyriakos Mitsotakis extended his warm congratulations to Olympiakos for winning the Conference League.
“A true legend! Olympiakos claims the Conference League title and makes history! An electrifying evening for the club itself and for Greek football as a whole. Warmest congratulations!” wrote the Greek Prime Minister on Twitter.