Conference League | Fiorentina 2-2 Real Betis (3-4 agg): No third Final for the Viola | OneFootball

Fiorentina capitulated to Real Betis in extra time, 2-2 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate, and will not be playing a third consecutive Conference League Final.

Instead, it is Real Betis who will play their first ever UEFA Final, taking on Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea on May 28 in Wroclaw.

The first leg ended 2-1 in Seville, so the Viola needed a victory to keep the European dream going. Moise Kean and Dodo returned to the starting XI, the latter making his comeback 13 days after his appendix was taken out, with Yacine Adli replacing the injured Danilo Cataldi. Marc Roca and Diego Llorente didn’t make the trip, but Manuel Pellegrini could count on former Napoli defender Natan and ex-Milan full-back Ricardo Rodriguez, bringing in Giovani Lo Celso and Isco.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

David De Gea had to deal with an early Pablo Fornals cross-shot that Isco at full stretch couldn’t quite reach, while Isco and Lo Celso efforts were charged down.

Fiorentina’s first real threat came on 19 minutes when Adli sent Kean on the counter-attack, shaking off three tackles to fire just over the bar.

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Fiorentina 2-2 Real Betis

Pietro Comuzzo couldn’t believe he failed to score on 22 minutes from a corner, as his header was cleared off the line by Youssouf Sabaly, then his rebound toe-poke was booted away by Marc Bartra.

Antony then went on the counter, De Gea getting down quickly to fingertip the angled drive round the base of the far post.

Rolando Mandragora blasted over, but it was Betis who took the lead in Florence when Antony bent a free kick off the inside of the left boot that beat De Gea by bouncing from inside the far post.

It became a mountain to climb, but the Viola got straight back into it when Robin Gosens was allowed a free header on the Mandragora corner from eight yards, steering it into the far bottom corner.

FLORENCE, ITALY – MAY 8: Robin Gosens of ACF Fiorentina celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Conference League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between ACF Fiorentina and Real Betis Balompie at Artemio Franchi on May 8, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Johnny Cardoso thumped the crossbar with a smart finish off the inside of the right boot, but Fiorentina turned the game around and got the tie all square on aggregate.

It was an almost identical goal to the first, again Gosens ready to meet the corner, this time from Adli into the near top corner.

FLORENCE, ITALY – MAY 8: Robin Gosens of ACF Fiorentina scores his second goal during the UEFA Conference League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between ACF Fiorentina and Real Betis Balompie at Artemio Franchi on May 8, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

They nearly added a third in first half stoppages, but Kean nodded the Adli set play over the bar.

After the restart, Kean went on a solo run through a crowd and forced a save from the tightest of angles, while substitute Abde Ezzalzouli turned Marin Pongracic inside out for a shot charged down by Comuzzo.

The frustration got to Kean, who was booked for running after Napoli-owned defender Natan and dragging him back by the jersey, after the referee had already awarded a foul for the Betis man’s same gesture.

Gosens almost got his hat-trick, only grazing his head to the Mandragora free kick with Kean unable to bundle the rebound over the line.

epa12085061 Fiorentina’s foward Moise Kean reacts during the UEFA Conference League semi finals 2nd leg match ACF Fiorentina vs Betis Sevilla at Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence, Italy, 08 May 2025. EPA-EFE/CLAUDIO GIOVANNINI

De Gea came to the rescue with a fantastic double save on Antony and the Ezzalzouli follow-up after Amir Richardson’s weak pass gave it away in the final third.

Cedric Bakambu tried to anticipate De Gea on an Antony low cross, but only ended up kicking the goalkeeper, while Mandragora blasted straight at Fran Vieites.

Manuel Pellegrini’s change in extra time was decisive, as Aitor Ruibal’s smart pass sent Antony down the right, rolling across for Ezzalzouli to sweep home relatively undisturbed at the back post and give Betis the lead on aggregate.

Aitor Ruibal’s curler was plucked out of the air and Isco ballooned over after a Pablo Garcia pull-back, before the sprightly Ezzalzouli hit the upright with an angled drive.

Fiorentina 2-2 Real Betis aet (3-4 agg)

Antony 30 (B), Gosens 34, 42 (F), Ezzalzouli 97 (B)