Following a thrilling five-goal match in Athens recently, fans at the Stadio Artemio Franchi might be in for an exciting night ahead as Fiorentina aims to reverse a 3-2 first-leg loss against Panathinaikos on Thursday. With a spot in the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals on the line, La Viola must halt a worrying trend of defeats, having lost five of their last six games across all competitions (won 1).
An early exit in the Conference League last-16 stage would appear premature for Fiorentina, especially considering their runner-up finishes in the past two seasons. Their strong home form could work in their favour, having won three of their last four Serie A matches at home (lost 1). In European competitions, they remain unbeaten in their last 11 home fixtures (won 8, drawn 3).
Although securing a draw would be adequate to advance Panathinaikos, their performance away from home is concerning. They have not achieved any wins in their previous seven matches on the road across various competitions (D3, L4). Furthermore, they have been unable to maintain a clean sheet in any of these games. This was unexpected after concluding 2024 with three consecutive shutouts while travelling (W3).
Despite this, Rui Vitória’s team is not lacking in confidence as they boast an impressive overall record, having suffered only one loss in their last six games (W4, D1). In the Conference League specifically, they have lost just one of their last six matches (W5). Strengthening these streaks further would position them for a quarter-final encounter against either Celje or Lugano.
Players worth observing: Robin Gosens played a crucial role in assisting both goals for Fiorentina in the recent match in Athens, bringing his total goal contributions to five (1 goal, 4 assists) in the last seven games across various competitions. Karol Świderski scored the opening goal in the previous game and has either scored or assisted in each of his last three starting games (2 goals, 1 assist).
Key statistic: Fiorentina has managed to score a minimum of two goals in the second half in all four of their home games in the Conference League this season.
