La Viola had to work extra hard to get past Viktoria Plzen in the quarter-finals, needing extra time to clinch a spot in the last four. Meanwhile, Club Brugge had a smoother path, defeating Molde comfortably in their quarter-final tie.
After scraping through the last 16 against Maccabi Haifa by a slim 5-4 aggregate, Fiorentina struggled to break through Viktoria Plzen's sturdy defense in the quarter-finals, with both legs ending in a scoreless draw.
It seemed like penalties might decide the outcome, but Fiorentina eventually found their breakthrough in extra time. Goals from Nicolas Gonzalez and Cristiano Biraghi secured a 2-0 aggregate win, extending La Viola's unbeaten streak in the competition to 11 games.
Vincenzo Italiano's side has had mixed results in domestic play. After a 2-0 win over Salernitana in Serie A, they faced a disappointing exit from the Coppa Italia, losing 4-2 on aggregate to Atalanta BC.
Fiorentina bounced back with a resounding 5-1 win over Sassuolo in Serie A last weekend, their joint-biggest league victory this season. Despite this success, they sit eighth in the league, seven points behind the top seven with only five games left, making the Europa Conference League their best shot at securing European football for next season.
Fiorentina has never played Club Brugge before, but their strong home form suggests they have a good chance on Thursday. They've only lost one of their last nine home games since February, with Basel being the last team to beat them at home in this competition back in May 2023.
Club Brugge, on the other hand, has reached their first European semi-final in 32 years after a decisive 3-0 aggregate victory over PAOK in the quarter-finals. They now hope to make it back to Greece for the final on June 7 in Athens.
Despite a rocky domestic season, Club Brugge has found stability since Ronny Deila's dismissal in March. Caretaker manager Nicky Hayen has turned things around, starting with a draw in his first game and then winning seven straight matches in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and conceding just two.
Club Brugge enters the semi-final in high spirits after back-to-back wins over Genk in the Belgian Pro League, including a 3-0 away victory last Sunday that brought them level with league leaders Anderlecht.
While Club Brugge's domestic success is significant, they have their eyes on European glory as well, with six wins in their last seven Conference League away games. However, their track record in Italy is less promising—they haven't won in 11 visits, with seven losses and four draws. This history suggests that while Club Brugge has momentum, they face a tough challenge in Florence against Fiorentina.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Fiorentina has just one notable injury concern: midfielder Rolando Mandragora, who’s dealing with a back issue. Striker M'Bala Nzola is also out, but that's for personal reasons.Coach Vincenzo Italiano shuffled his starting lineup for last weekend's game, but he's expected to bring back some key players for the semi-final. This includes first-choice goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano, centre-back Nikola Milenkovic, and team captain Cristiano Biraghi.
Arthur and Alfred Duncan might keep their spots in central midfield, but Giacomo Bonaventura is likely to replace Antonin Barak in the attacking midfield role. Nicolas Gonzalez, Fiorentina's top scorer with 13 goals this season, could lead the attack, joined by Christian Kouame and Andrea Belotti.
For Club Brugge, Andreas Skov Olsen has recovered from a hip injury and is back in the matchday squad, so he could be part of Thursday's lineup. Caretaker manager Nicky Hayen has a decision to make in goal: stick with Nordin Jackers or bring back Simon Mignolet, the former Liverpool goalkeeper, who's just returned from a hamstring issue.
Ferran Jutgla, who scored twice in the second-leg win against PAOK, might lose his starting spot to Igor Thiago. Thiago, who’s heading to Brentford soon and has scored 28 goals this season, missed the last game due to suspension but should be ready to play. With both teams adjusting their lineups, the first leg promises to be an exciting encounter.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:Terracciano; Kayode, Milenkovic, Martinez, Biraghi; Arthur, Duncan; Gonzalez, Bonaventura, Kouame; Belotti
Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Jackers; Sabbe, Ordonez, Alvarez, Meijer; Vetlesen, Onyedika, Vanaken; Skoras, Thiago, Nusa
EXPERT PREDICTION
Fiorentina 2-2 Club Brugge
