Second Conference League Final Loss More Painful For Fiorentina Than First – Says Vincenzo Italiano

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano expressed that the defeat in the Conference League final against Olympiakos had inflicted deeper pain compared to the previous year’s final loss in the same tournament.

On Wednesday, Olympiakos clinched a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina in extra time with a goal by Ayoub El Kaabi in the 116th minute.

This outcome signifies Fiorentina’s back-to-back losses in the Conference League final, with last year’s 2-1 defeat to West Ham preceding this one.

“We believed this time. It hurts,” Italiano told Sky Sports Italia. “It’s disappointing for the second time. It’s disappointing because again we had many situations to score goals but the players did everything they could. It hurts to see my players cry. We believed this time we could have a different epilogue to this campaign.”

Fiorentina’s recent finals have been marked by disappointment, with three losses in two years, including their defeat to Inter Milan in last season’s Italian Cup final.

“Losing hurts; going all the way for two years running is something good but naturally you have to lift a trophy and we didn’t manage it,” Italiano said. “The journey feels ruined when you have to watch the others lift the silverware.

“At this moment, I too feel too bitter, disappointed, let down, because I too really believed we could have a different ending.”