Prediction: Rapid Vienna vs Fiorentina

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 63/100

Bookmaker: ZetBet

After enduring the heartbreak of conceding a last-minute goal in the final of the previous season, Fiorentina is set to make their comeback in the Europa Conference League. This Thursday, they are scheduled to compete in the initial match of their playoff series against Rapid Vienna, at the Allianz Stadium.

Despite their disappointment of falling short against West Ham United in June, La Viola is determined to seize another opportunity for European success. Yet, their path to securing a spot in the group stage is obstructed by the challenge posed by Rapid Vienna.

Rapid Vienna

Although the season has just kicked off for Fiorentina, Rapid Vienna is already four matches deep into the latest Austrian Bundesliga season. Their impressive five-goal victory over promoted Blau-Weiss Linz during the weekend has positioned them five points behind the inevitable leaders of the league, Red Bull Salzburg.

Rapid has a storied history in European competition, having twice been runners-up in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup during the latter part of the 21st century. However, their recent years have been cast in the shadow of Salzburg’s dominant reign, culminating in fourth and fifth place finishes over the last two years.

In the third qualifying round of the Conference League, Die Grun-Weissen managed to overcome Debrecen with a convincing 5-0 aggregate victory. After a goalless draw on their home turf, they demonstrated their efficiency by converting all of their shots on target in the second leg held last week.

Zoran Barisic, once a midfielder for the club and now at the helm of Rapid, is faced with the task of outmaneuvering one of Italy’s most esteemed tacticians across the span of two playoff matches.

Team News

Rapid are likely to call upon ex-Schalke striker Guido Burgstaller to spearhead their offensive efforts at the Allianz Stadion. The team’s captain was not only on the scoresheet in the previous week’s match against Debrecen but also managed to secure a brace over the weekend.

However, the absence of crucial defender Nenad Cvetkovic is anticipated for Thursday’s match, following his early substitution during the first half against Blau-Weiss Linz. He was replaced by Maximilian Hofmann, who is now poised to be elevated to the starting lineup for the visit of Fiorentina.

Fiorentina

When Giacomo Bonaventura expertly placed the ball into the back of West Ham’s net during the previous season’s Europa Conference League final, it appeared that Fiorentina might be on the path to securing significant silverware for the first time in several decades.

Yet, despite his crucial goal to level the score, their tense encounter didn’t progress to extra time, and the Viola suffered a 2-1 defeat, marking the end of a season filled with missed opportunities. Their hopes were further dashed as they also fell short in the Coppa Italia final against Inter Milan.

The team, which finished in the eighth spot of Serie A following an inconsistent campaign, later received an unexpected chance. A one-year UEFA ban imposed on Juventus opened the door for Fiorentina to make a return to the Conference League for the 2023-24 season.

Following their preseason preparations, Fiorentina made a strong comeback in competitive action on Saturday, sending a clear signal of their intentions for the upcoming months. Within the first five minutes of the new Serie A season, team captain Cristiano Biraghi charged into the Genoa area and emphatically scored the opening goal in a 4-1 victory on the first matchday at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

With a comfortable four-goal lead before the hour mark against their newly promoted opponents, Vincenzo Italiano’s squad is now focused on maintaining this momentum as they step into their continental campaign. The journey begins this week at Vienna’s Allianz Stadion.

Italiano, who has seen the departure of Arthur Cabral this summer but acquired Lucas Beltran and M’Bala Nzola as replacements, understands that Thursday’s match will pose challenges. Notably, Fiorentina struggled in away games last season, securing just six victories in the league.

Team News

Since his arrival in Florence two years ago, Italiano has effectively expanded the team’s roster depth. As the upcoming Thursday match approaches, he might opt for several alterations to the Fiorentina lineup that confidently handled their business in Genoa.

While the uncertainty looms over Sofyan Amrabat’s future, midfielder Arthur Melo showcased his prowess during his inaugural appearance for the Viola and might retain his spot in the midfield. Gaetano Castrovilli, on the other hand, remains sidelined due to injury.

In the forward line, Lucas Beltran could potentially step in for M’Bala Nzola. However, Nicolas Gonzalez, who netted a pair of goals in the previous season’s semifinal victory over Basel, is expected to keep his position. Although Luka Jovic won’t be available, Christian Kouame has become eligible again following his Serie A suspension.

Conclusion

With all due respect for the Austrian side, they will face a different level of quality than they have in recent matches when Fiorentina, last season’s finalists of the competition, come to town. Italiano’s side plays a fluent game and is quite capable of opening teams up.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 63/100

Bookmaker: ZetBet