With a one-goal deficit from last week’s first leg, Rakow Czestochowa will welcome Fiorentina to Poland when the pair’s Conference League tie is decided on Thursday.
Vying for place in the quarter-finals – where either Crystal Palace or AEK Larnaca will await – their last-16 clash began with a home win for the Viola.
Match preview
After struggling through the league phase and surviving a scare in the playoffs – where they edged past Jagiellonia Bialystok after extra time – Fiorentina hosted another Polish club in the first leg of their last-16 contest.
The Italian side slipped behind on the hour mark, but Cher Ndour swept in an almost instant equaliser, before Roberto Piccoli clipped the crossbar and Albert Gudmundsson stayed cool to convert a late winner.
The latter’s stoppage-time penalty secured a comeback victory for the Viola, giving them a precious lead to defend for this week’s return game in southern Poland.
Fiorentina’s 50th Conference League fixture – the most of any team since the competition’s inception – will come amid an uptick for the two-time runners-up.
Paolo Vanoli‘s side have been below par on the domestic front, and they still face a fight for Serie A survival, but beating fellow strugglers Cremonese on Monday moved them four points clear of the drop zone.
Lit up by a superb solo strike from Dodo on his 150th appearance – nearly three years after his last goal – their 4-1 victory was capped by Gudmundsson picking out the top corner to finish a flowing team move.
With some breathing space secured, the Tuscan club can now conclude their 12th knockout tie in the Conference League.
After progressing from 10 of the previous 11 – the sole exception being last year’s semi-final defeat to Real Betis – history will be firmly on Fiorentina’s side.
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© Iconsport / SUSA
Though Jonatan Braut Brunes put them in front last week, Rakow will reflect with regret on almost instantly conceding, before Michael Ameyaw’s handball handed Fiorentina their late spot kick.
Having previously shipped just two goals across six Conference League contests, the Czestochowa club had the second-best defensive record in this season’s league phase, and that saw them cruise through to the round of 16.
However, following four wins and two draws, they let a precious lead slip in Florence and must now overturn a deficit to make the quarter-finals.
Lukasz Tomczyk’s side have posted a 100% record as hosts so far, keeping a couple of clean sheets in the process, so they will aim to make home advantage fully pay on Thursday.
Currently enjoying the best period in their history, Rakow followed back-to-back Polish cup triumphs in 2021 and 2022 with their first league title one year later, before finishing second last term.
By contrast with Fiorentina’s domestic woes, they are again flying high in the Ekstraklasa: despite losing 3-1 to Gornik Zabrze on Sunday, they sit just four points adrift of top spot.
Rakow Czestochowa Conference League form:
D D W W W L
Rakow Czestochowa form (all competitions):
W L W W L L
Fiorentina Conference League form:
L W L W L W
Fiorentina form (all competitions):
W L L D W W
Team News
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© Imago / Nicolo Campo
Vanoli is set to rotate his squad, as he often makes several changes for European fixtures and Fiorentina were in action on Monday; they also face a tough league game this weekend, at home to Serie A leaders Inter Milan.
Star striker Moise Kean has just returned from a shin problem that ruled him out of the first leg, so Piccoli could continue up front.
While Luca Lezzerini and Manor Solomon are still injured, and Robin Gosens is now a doubt, Nicolo Fortini is expected to recover from a knock; Croatian centre-back Marin Pongracic will be back after serving a UEFA ban last week.
Meanwhile, Rakow’s attack should be led by Brunes, who was rested on Sunday; a cousin of Erling Haaland, the Norwegian forward has scored 12 Ekstraklasa goals this season.
Aston Villa loanee Oliwier Zych will start in goal, while ACL victim Vladyslav Kocherhin is the hosts’ only confirmed absentee.
Rakow Czestochowa possible starting lineup:
Zych; Tudor, Racovitan, Svarnas; Ameyaw, Repka, Struski, Carlos; Ivi, Makuch; Brunes
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Christensen; Fortini, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Parisi; Ndour, Mandragora, Fabbian; Harrison, Piccoli, Fazzini
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We say: Rakow Czestochowa 2-2 Fiorentina (Fiorentina win 4-3 on aggregate)
Distracted by domestic travails, Fiorentina have been inconsistent throughout this Conference League campaign, making them quite unpredictable.
Still, after posting rare back-to-back wins, the Viola can scrape past another Polish opponent and into the quarter-finals for a fourth straight season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.