Fiorentina will be wary of a resurgent Club Brugge on Wednesday evening when they travel to Belgium for the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final tie.
Despite having one tentative foot in the Final, Fiorentina, who needed a last-gasp strike from M’Bala Nzola in Florence in the first leg to edge ahead 3-2 in the battle, will be expecting a fierce response.
Perhaps the biggest loss for the visitors will be the absence of Riccardo Sottil, who sustained a fractured collarbone in the run-up to the second leg, effectively ending his campaign.
Meanwhile, the hosts will be Raphael Onyedika, who has been ruled out through suspension after he was sent off last week, and Club Brugge will be deciding whether to stick or twist.
Fiorentina, who reached the Europa Conference League Final last season, are seeking redemption in this competition after coming up short against West Ham.
For Club Brugge, European semi-finals have been in short supply, but can they turn things around?
Ahead of the second leg, I have plucked out a couple of tips for you to consider adding to your betting slips.
Club Brugge to punch ticket to the Final
While Fiorentina fans may be dreaming of another European final, they ought to be a bit more grounded and temper expectations.
Indeed, Club Brugge have been formidable at the Jan Breydelstadion, having lost just once there in 28 home games this term, and that was against Anderlecht back in February.
Since then, they have had the wind in their sails, registering five wins on the trot in the Belgian top division, and they will be a tough nut to crack.
In the first leg, Fiorentina bombarded Club Brugge with shots, and it could be a familiar story this time too.
Although Club Brugge will be rueing the absence of Onyedika, they are still alive in this tie, and a quick start will be imperative.
To kick things off, I’m going with Club Brugge to turn things around and reach the Final, for which I have located a price of 9/4 with William Hill.
Dramatic shoot-out needed to determine winner
This tie is finely poised. While Club Brugge will be under no illusion about the threat posed by La Viola, it could be one of those evenings where nerves are shredded.
So much so that it could go all the way to penalties for the winner to be determined.
Rather than go for my customary goalscorer tip, I’ve leaned into the method of victory line.
To round things off, I’m siding with Club Brugge to seal their spot in the Europa Conference League Final via a penalty shoot-out, and Paddy Power has advertised an eye-catching price of 11/1 for that outcome.
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