Club Brugge vs Fiorentina Match Analysis & Prediction
08/05/2024 7:45 pm
Six days on from a five-goal thriller in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final tie, Club Brugge and Fiorentina reconvene for their return match on Belgian soil on Wednesday.
Fiorentina benefitted from a Brugge sending-off to win the first leg 3-2 at Stadio Artemio Franchi and will secure their final date with either Aston Villa or Olympiacos should they maintain or extend their aggregate lead at the Jan Breydelstadion.
Twice Fiorentina found themselves a goal to the good last Thursday through a Riccardo Sottil stunner and Andrea Belotti strike, and twice Brugge pegged the Viola straight back, as Hans Vanaken scored from the spot before top scorer Igor Thiago netted for the fifth time in the competition.
Thiago’s equaliser came just two minutes after Raphael Onyedika was dismissed for an inexplicable challenge while already on a yellow card, and while the 10 men of Brugge dug incredibly deep with their disadvantage, Fiorentina finally found their way again in added time through M’Bala Nzola.
As crushing as Fiorentina’s 91st-minute goal was for the Brugge faithful, a narrow defeat away from home was hardly a disastrous outcome – especially with their numerical disadvantage in the second half – and a third European final is not beyond the realm of possibility for the Blue-Black.
Club Brugge maintained their push for Jupiler Pro League glory at the weekend, beating Antwerp 2-1 for their sixth successive win in the top flight, one which keeps them two points clear at the top of the Champions’ Playoffs group.
Under the temporary tutelage of Nicky Hayen, the club’s youth team manager who succeeded Ronny Delia two months ago, Brugge have thrived with eight wins from 10 games with the 43-year-old at the helm, and each of their last six home matches has also ended in victory.
That green streak of wins has seen Brugge register 17 goals while only letting in two at the other end of the field, which does not make for good reading for a Fiorentina side reeling from another domestic setback on the road at the weekend.
Fiorentina may have already been pre-occupied with thoughts of Wednesday’s second leg during their Serie A trip to Hellas Verona on Sunday, where a 2-1 defeat marked their second straight loss on the road following a 4-1 Coppa Italia thrashing at the hands of Atalanta BC.
Their eighth-placed standing in the Serie A table would still suffice for Europa Conference League qualification next year – the Italian earned a fifth Champions League spot due to their UEFA coefficient – but going all the way in this season’s edition is their most viable route to a Europa League ticket.
Seeking to go one better than last year, where they suffered West Ham United-inflicted heartbreak in the final, Vincenzo Italiano’s side cannot cast their eye over their away record for inspiration, as just two of their 12 matches on the road in 2024 have seen the Viola prevail.
Club Brugge vs. Fiorentina Head to head
These two teams have only previously met on one occasion in the first leg of this tie, with Fiorentina winning 4-3 at home.
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02/05/2024Fiorentina3Club Brugge2Europa Conference League
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08/05/2024N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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08/05/2024N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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08/05/2024N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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08/05/2024Club BruggeN/AFiorentinaN/AEuropa Conference League
Club Brugge Team News
Club Brugge midfielder Onyedika will miss the second leg through suspension, so Hugo Vetlesen should be drafted in to partner the experienced Denis Odoi in the double pivot.
Over the past few weeks, 26-year-old goalkeeper Nordin Jackers has also forced his way into the hosts’ starting lineup, but the shot-stopper was absent from the Antwerp win due to a strain injury.
Club Brugge's Last 5 Matches
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21/04/2024Union Saint-Gilloise1Club Brugge2First Division A
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24/04/2024Club Brugge4Genk0First Division A
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28/04/2024Genk0Club Brugge3First Division A
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02/05/2024Fiorentina3Club Brugge2Europa Conference League
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05/05/2024Antwerp1Club Brugge2First Division A
Fiorentina Team News
One wide man who has already been ruled out of this tie is Fiorentina attacker Sottil, scorer of the opener in the first leg before sustaining a broken collarbone, which should bring his season to a premature end.
In Sottil’s absence, Gaetano Castrovilli scored the Viola’s consolation against Verona, but the Italian is not in the visitors’ UECL squad, so either Christian Kouame or Jonathan Ikone should fill in.
Fiorentina's Last 5 Matches
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21/04/2024Salernitana0Fiorentina2Serie A
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24/04/2024Atalanta4Fiorentina1Coppa Italia
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28/04/2024Fiorentina5Sassuolo1Serie A
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02/05/2024Fiorentina3Club Brugge2Europa Conference League
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05/05/2024Verona2Fiorentina1Serie A
Club Brugge vs. Fiorentina: Odds and Predictions
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