Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa Conference League match.
Fiorentina have been performing confidently in their domestic league, but their results have been less stable in the Conference League. Pafos, on the other hand, are dominating the Cypriot championship but face tougher competition in European tournaments. Their goal is to avoid a heavy defeat and secure a position in the playoff zone.
Fiorentina
Fiorentina have been delighting their fans under the leadership of Raffaele Palladino. In Serie A, they have suffered only one defeat in 13 rounds. In the Conference League, they had a slip-up in the last round (APOEL 1:2). It is worth noting that the main strength of Fiorentina is their attack, which averages 2.33 goals per game and has an xG of 2.54. Their defence is also solid, with six clean sheets in their last 11 matches, conceding more than once only once in that run.
Pafos
Pafos confidently lead their national league, boasting the best attack (2.8 goals per game) and defence (0.6 conceded). However, in the Conference League, the competition is stiffer, as shown by their matches: a loss to Heidenheim (0:1) and a narrow victory over Astana (1:0). In the previous round against the Kazakh club, the Cypriots dominated, creating 3.74 xG, but they managed to convert only one chance late in the match. Away from home, they have struggled, losing four out of five European matches.
Fiorentina vs Pafos Prediction
Fiorentina surpass Pafos in all key metrics. While the visitors may put up strong resistance in defence, it is unlikely to last. We anticipate an open game with high scoring from the hosts.
