At Stadio Artemio Franchi, Fiorentina will play a crucial Europa Conference League match against the backdrop of their crisis in the Serie A. The club have changed head coach in an attempt to halt the slide, but in Europe they still have a good chance of qualifying directly for the knockout round. AEK Athens arrive in Florence in excellent form and continue to fight for top spot in the Super League Greece.
Fiorentina
Fiorentina are going through a difficult spell: their winless run in the league has stretched to 12 matches and they have dropped to 19th place. The appointment of Paolo Vanoli has stabilised the situation slightly – draws with Genoa and Juventus have restored some confidence. In the Europa Conference League, however, Fiorentina have looked noticeably better: two wins from three matches keep them in the upper part of the standings. The only slip came at the end of the game against Mainz 05, when the team conceded in the 95th minute. The main issue is finishing: Moise Kean has not scored in European competition, and the overall level of the attacking line has dropped compared with last season.
AEK Athens
AEK Athens go into the game on a four-match unbeaten run in all competitions. Back-to-back league wins confirm their stability. The team beat Aris Thessaloniki, and Zini quickly found his form after returning from loan. Their only dropped points over the past month came in a home draw with Shamrock Rovers, when they were rescued by a penalty in added time. In the overall standings, the visitors are 15th and trail Fiorentina by only two points. However, away from home AEK Athens allow lapses in defence, and this is their main weakness before the trip to Florence.
Fiorentina vs AEK Athens Prediction
Despite their crisis in the league, Fiorentina are showing a higher level specifically in European competition. The hosts are likely to take the initiative; it is important for them to prove that their winless run is close to ending. AEK Athens are strong in attack but unstable defensively away from home, which gives the hosts space to press and attack. We expect them to use this match to turn their season around and to create enough chances to score at least two goals.
