Six days on from a five-goal extravaganza in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final showdown, Club Brugge and Fiorentina reunite for their return battle on Belgian soil on Wednesday.
The Serie A powerhouses benefitted from a Brugge sending-off to edge the first leg 3-2 at Stadio Artemio Franchi and will book a final date with Aston Villa or Olympiacos should they maintain or extend their aggregate advantage at the Jan Breydel-Stadion.
Match preview
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Twice Fiorentina found themselves a goal to the good last Thursday thanks to a Riccardo Sottil stunner and Andrea Belotti strike, and twice Club Brugge pegged La Viola straight back, as Hans Vanaken struck from the spot before top scorer Igor Thiago netted for the fifth time in the competition.
Thiago's leveller 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 those of a Belgian persuasion, a slender 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.
Runners-up in the 1977-78 European Cup and 1975-76 UEFA Cup - losing both finals to Liverpool - Club Brugge maintained their push for Jupiler Pro League glory at the weekend, sinking 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' Play-offs group.
Under the temporary tutelage of Nicky Hayen, the club's youth team manager who succeeded Ronny Delia two months ago, Club 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 triumph.
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That green streak of successes has seen Club Brugge register 17 goals while only letting in two at the other end of the field, which does not make for reassuring reading for a Fiorentina outfit reeling from another domestic setback on the road at the weekend.
Of course, the Viola 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 hammering at the hands of Atalanta BC.
Fiorentina's eighth-placed standing in the Serie A table would still suffice for Europa Conference League qualification next year - the Italians earned a fifth Champions League spot thanks to their UEFA coefficient - but going all the way in this season's edition is their most viable route to a Europa League ticket.
Bidding to go one better than last year, where they suffered West Ham United-inflicted heartbreak in the final, Vincenzo Italiano's charges cannot cast their eye over their away record for inspiration, as just two of the visitors' 12 road matches in 2024 have seen the Viola come up trumps.
Furthermore, Fiorentina's Calcio counterparts Roma, Juventus and AC Milan have all fallen to defeat on Club Brugge's territory in the past, although all of those successes for the Belgian side came in the 1970s, before their current head coach had even been born.
Team News
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Being made to take the walk of shame just three minutes after being booked for the first time, 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 success due to a strain injury.
The experienced Simon Mignolet deputised at the weekend, but Jackers's issue is not believed to be a serious one, so Hayen should be able to call upon his preferred goalkeeper for Wednesday's crunch clash.
However, left-back Bjorn Meijer was withdrawn four minutes before the half-time whistle sounded with a knee injury of unspecified severity, so Maxim De Cuyper may earn an unexpected start here.
One wide man who has already been ruled out of this battle is Fiorentina attacker Sottil, scorer of a brilliant 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 - whose season has been hampered by a severe knee injury - struck the Viola's consolation against Hellas Verona, but the Italian is not in the visitors' UECL squad, so either Christian Kouame or Jonathan Ikone ought to fill in.
Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Jackers; De Cuyper, Spileers, Mechele, Sabbe; Odoi, Veltesen; Skov Olsen, Vanaken, Jutgla; Thiago
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Terracciano; Dodo, Martinez Quarta, Ranieri, Biraghi; Bonaventura, Arthur; Gonzalez, Beltran, Kouame; Belotti
We say: Club Brugge 1-1 Fiorentina (Fiorentina win 4-3 on aggregate)
Fiorentina's loss to Hellas Verona in Serie A action should not be taken at face value, as Italiano rested almost all of his big-hitters, although the absence of Sottil is not what the doctor ordered for last year's runners-up.
Club Brugge showed plenty of spirit in the first leg but may also be ruing the absences of a couple of integral players, so Fiorentina can hold out for the draw required to book their tickets to the final.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
