Back-to-back Conference League finalists Fiorentina welcome Slovenian side Celje to the Stadio Artemio Franchi in the second leg of their quarter-final on Thursday night. Read on for our predictions of how this Conference League encounter could pan out.
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Fiorentina vs Celje prediction: Palladino's men to get the job done
Key stats:
- Celje have lost six of their last seven away matches in the Conference League
- Fiorentina have progressed from all of their 11 two-legged knockout ties in the Conference League.
- None of Celje’s last 42 matches in Europe have ended goalless.
- Fiorentina have won all four home Conference League matches this season, and have scored at least twice in 11 of the last 12.
Correct score prediction: Fiorentina 4-1 Celje
Fiorentina have become the masters of progressing through the Conference League, and while they have left themselves with a little bit of work to do in this second leg, their imperious home form in the competition means they should advance with little fuss.
Celje were unfancied against both APOEL and Lugano in the last two rounds and came through those challenges, but a huge step up in class will be required here, and they may not be up to the task, especially after losing the first leg a week ago.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Home side almost certain to win
- HOME: 4/11 (1.36) – 73.3%
- DRAW: 19/5 (4.80) – 20.8%
- AWAY: 6/1 (7.00) – 14.3%
*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Like was the case ahead of the first leg, the bookmakers are giving Celje little chance of a result here, and given their non-existent experience at this stage of a European competition, it is clear to see why, especially with the quality on show on the opposing side.
Fiorentina are a similar price to what they were to win in 90 minutes last week, but leading 2-1 from the first leg, they are priced at a very short 1/12 to reach the semi-finals.
Most recent H2Hs: Only one meeting before
The duel between Celje and Fiorentina in Slovenia last week was the first time these two teams have met each other and Viola have emerged victorious from that duel.
UEFA Conference League 10/04/25
NK Celje
Fiorentina
Fiorentina preview: La Viola set for another run to the final
After losing in back-to-back finals in this competition, Raffaele Palladino will hope he can be the man to make it third time lucky in May, and they are well placed to reach the semi-finals, where Real Betis are likely to be waiting.
Fiorentina were only able to draw 0-0 with Parma at the weekend, damaging their hopes of qualifying for Europe through their league position, meaning they may have to win this competition to return to continental action next season, so no slip-ups can be afforded in this second leg.
Robin Gosens and Andrea Colpani will miss out for the hosts, who went with a strong XI again against Parma at the weekend, and La Viola could line up in similar fashion here.
Predicted lineup: De Gea (GK), Pongracic, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Moreno, Mandragora, Cataldi, Fagioli, Folorunsho, Beltran & Gudmundsson
Italy Serie A 13/04/25
D
Parma
0
Fiorentina
0
UEFA Conference League 10/04/25
W
NK Celje
1
Fiorentina
2
Italy Serie A 05/04/25
D
AC Milan
2
Fiorentina
2
Italy Serie A 30/03/25
W
Atalanta
0
Fiorentina
1
Italy Serie A 16/03/25
W
Juventus
0
Fiorentina
3
Celje preview: History-makers set to have dreams dashed
It has already been a remarkable season for Celje, becoming the first Slovenian club ever to reach the quarter-finals of a UEFA competition, and they done very well to keep the tie alive heading into the trip to Florence this week.
The hosts have won five in a row domestically and are into the semi-finals of the domestic cup, but they will be without Conference League top scorer Armandas Kucys again, after he was injured on international duty with Lithuania last month, stacking the odds even further against them.
Predicted lineup: Ricardo Silva (GK), Juanjo Nieto, Vuklisevic, Nemanic, Karnicik, Zabukovnik, Kvesic, Svetlin, Delaurier-Chaubert, Matko & Seslar
Slovenia Prva Liga 13/04/25
W
NS Mura
1
NK Celje
2
UEFA Conference League 10/04/25
L
Fiorentina
2
NK Celje
1
Slovenia Prva Liga 06/04/25
W
NK Bravo
1
NK Celje
2
Slovenia Cup 02/04/25
W
NK Maribor
0
NK Celje
1
Slovenia Prva Liga 29/03/25
W
NK Domzale
0
NK Celje
1
Player to watch: Svit Seslar
All the impetus will be on Celje to spark a comeback, and Seslar could be the man who poses the biggest threat to Fiorentina, especially after coming off the bench to score the equaliser in their 2-1 win over Mura at the weekend.
Seslar scored in the dramatic second leg against Lugano in the previous round, while also providing two assists in the 2-0 win at APOEL in the playoff round, so he has certainly showed up on the road in the competition so far this season.