Aston Villa are not the strongest team left in the Europa Conference League and that title should instead go to Fiorentina.
That’s according to journalist Sandro Sabatini, who has praised the Italian side and backed them as potential winners of the European competition.
Aston Villa have largely been deemed as the favourites to win the Conference League this season after making it to the semi-finals of the competition with victory over Lille.
Their impressive performances in the Premier League, coupled with the European expertise of Unai Emery, who has won the Europa League several times and appears to thrive in competitions such as this one, are seen as key.
They’ve still go to get past Olympiacos in their semi-final, while Fiorentina and Club Brugge will face each other in the other semi-final clash.
The Italian side will be favourites for that clash, particularly after making it to the final of the competition last season before defeat to West Ham, something they are keen to avenge.
And Sabatini has even backed them to go all the way this season, believing they are the favourites and not Aston Villa. He believes the Conference League represents the best chance of a trophy for La Viola, despite them playing Atalanta in the second-leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tonight and being a goal up.
“It’s difficult to say who will play more tonight, for Fiorentina winning the Conference would be easier than winning the Coppa Italia, while for Atalanta winning the Coppa Italia would be easier than winning the Europa League,” he said.
“The Conference is within Fiorentina’s reach, they are the strongest team in the Conference, they have a great opportunity, Atalanta on the other hand has already achieved a great feat.”
