Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Conference League clash between Rapid Vienna and Fiorentina, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Europe has offered vital reassurance to Stefano Pioli‘s Fiorentina squad, and the two-time Conference League runners-up seek another pick-me-up in Thursday’s trip to Rapid Vienna on matchday two.
Having advanced through several qualifying rounds to reach the league phase, the Austrians were beaten 4-1 by Lech Poznan; however, Peter Stoger’s team hope that returning to Weststadion will strengthen them against Pioli’s unpredictable team.
Match preview
Considering that their team needed to survive three qualifying rounds to reach the league phase, Rapid fans will feel their team deserved better on matchday one.
Lech Poznan’s decisive victory over Stoger’s team demonstrates that no favours are granted in this level of European competition.
Outplayed by their Polish opponents in the 4-1 defeat, the Green-Whites returned to Austria empty-handed, but they hope Vienna brings the necessary positivity.
Playing at Weststadion has yielded positive results in qualifying rounds against FK Decic, Dundee United and Gyor, with Die Grun-Weissen scoring at least two goals in those fixtures, ending 4-2, 2-2 and 2-0, respectively.
Facing Fiorentina, despite the Viola’s Serie A struggles, will present a different challenge for the hosts, who enter Thursday’s match on a five-match winless streak across all competitions, suffering four consecutive defeats.
As a result, the Italian club will back themselves for another positive performance and result in Europe after securing a routine 2-0 victory over Sigma Olomouc at the start of October.
The Viola were winless in four matches before their Conference League opener — two draws and two defeats — and have lost two games since that continental triumph, with Serie A setbacks against Roma and AC Milan.
Fiorentina’s latest setbacks have especially annoyed fans due to the Florence-based club’s failure to hold onto leads after Moise Kean scored against the capital club and Robin Gosens put Pioli’s team ahead against his former club.
Given the decreased quality of Europe’s third-tier club competition compared to Serie A, travelling supporters to Austria can demand an improved performance from their side, whose matchday one success placed them eighth in the Conference League.
Having been one of the 16 clubs to win in the league phase proper, the Viola now aim to stay unbeaten after the first two rounds.
Rapid Vienna Conference League form:
Rapid Vienna form (all competitions):
Fiorentina Conference League form:
Fiorentina form (all competitions):
Team News
While Oliver Strunz, Tobias Borkeeiet, Jean Marcelin and Noah Bischof are absent due to ineligibility or injury, Jakob Scholler and Petter Dahl miss out because of shoulder and muscle complaints.
Nikolaus Wurmbrand and Claudy Mbuyi have scored three league goals each, and the forwards are undeniably the hosts’ main threats on Thursday.
Including qualifying matches, Mbuyi has netted three times in Europe this season, emphasising his match-deciding qualities.
Fiorentina are without Tariq Lamptey and Christian Kouame due to long-term knee injuries, though that seems to be Pioli’s only concern heading into Thursday.
Moise Kean is expected to return to the starting XI after serving a two-match ban following his red card in the Conference League playoff first leg against Polissya.
Cher Ndour was influential on matchday one, scoring and assisting in the 2-0 victory, and the midfielder hopes to start for Pioli’s team.
Rapid Vienna possible starting lineup:
Hedl; Bolla, Cvetkovic, Raux-Yao, Horn; Seidl, Amane; Wurmbrand, Gulliksen, Radulovic; Mbuyi
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Pongracic, Mari, Ranieri; Dodo, Mandragora, Caviglia, Ndour, Gosens; Gudmundsson, Kean
We say: Rapid Vienna 1-3 Fiorentina
Away from their Serie A challenges, Fiorentina have thrived in Europe’s third-tier competition, and the Viola should secure another convincing victory on Thursday, handing Rapid Vienna a fifth consecutive defeat.
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