Key Takeaways
- Crystal Palace holds a 3‑0 lead from the first leg at Selhurst Park, giving them a commanding advantage heading into the second leg in Florence.
- Fiorentina have never lost a Conference League quarter‑final tie (10 wins, 1 loss in 11 attempts) but face the daunting task of overturning a three‑goal deficit for the first time in their European history.
- Ismaila Sarr is in red‑hot form, scoring four of his six Conference League goals since February, including a brace in the last‑16 clash and the late third in the first leg.
- Fiorentina will be without influential defender Dodo (suspension) and possibly Moise Kean (calf injury); several other players risk a ban with another yellow card.
- Palace are largely intact, missing only Eddie Nketiah (thigh) and long‑term absentee Cheick Doucoure, while Evann Gueessand carries a minor knock.
- The article predicts a Fiorentina 2‑1 win in the return leg, which would see Crystal Palace advance 4‑2 on aggregate to their first ever Conference League semi‑final.
A week after a stunning 3‑0 victory over Fiorentina at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace travel to Florence for the Conference League quarter‑final second leg at Stadio Artemio Franchi. The Eagles arrive with a three‑goal cushion, a rarity for the club in European competition, and will look to cement their place in the last four. Fiorentina, meanwhile, find themselves in unfamiliar territory: they must overturn a deficit this large for the first time, despite a storied record of never losing at the quarter‑final stage in the Conference League.
The Viola have reached the last eight of the competition on three previous occasions, winning each time, and their overall European quarter‑final record stands at ten wins from eleven ties, the sole blemish being a 1969‑70 loss to Celtic. That pedigree has bred confidence among the Florentine faithful, who expect their side to resist the pressure and force a comeback. However, the challenge is steep: no team has ever overturned a three‑goal first‑leg deficit in the Conference League’s history, and Fiorentina would need to score at least four unanswered goals to progress.
Palace’s first‑leg performance was built on a dominant opening period, with Ismaila Sarr sealing the win with a late third goal. Sarr has been the Eagles’ go‑to man in the knockout rounds, netting four of his six Conference League goals since February, including a brace against AEK Larnaca in the last‑16 and the decisive goal at Selhurst Park. His recent form has been a catalyst for a side that has lost only one of its last ten matches across all competitions, a 2‑1 defeat to Manchester United in early March, after a rougher stretch of nine losses in fourteen games between mid‑December and mid‑February.
Fiorentina’s recent domestic form offers some optimism. A 1‑0 win over Lazio over the weekend, powered by a David De Gea‑inspired performance, all but secured their Serie A status for another season and left them eight points clear of the relegation zone with six games left. That result will hopefully translate into confidence and energy for the European tie, although the Viola will be missing several key pieces.
Team news reveals a significant blow for Fiorentina: right‑back Dodo is suspended after picking up a booking in the first leg. Defenders Marin Pongracic, Pietro Comuzzo, Rolando Mandragora, Cher Ndour, Nicolo Fagioli and Albert Gudmundsson are all one yellow card away from a miss‑match ban, which could further thin the squad if cautions accumulate. Forward Moise Kean is doubtful with a calf injury, while Fabiano Parisi and Niccolo Fortini remain uncertain. In Kean’s absence, the Viola will lean on Roberto Piccoli, Albert Gudmundsson and Cher Ndour to provide the attacking spark needed for a comeback.
Crystal Palace, by contrast, travel with a relatively healthy squad. Manager Oliver Glasner will be without Eddie Nketiah (thigh) and the long‑term absentee Cheick Doucoure, who has not featured for the first team since January 2025. Evann Gueessand carries a minor knock but is expected to be available. The likely starting XI sees Dean Henderson in goal, a back four of Richards, Lacroix, Canvot and Munoz, with Wharton, Kamada and Mitchell in midfield, and the attacking trio of Sarr, Mateta and Pino up front.
Fiorentina’s probable lineup features De Gea between the posts, backed by Comuzzo, Pongracic, Ranieri and Gosens in defence. Fabbian, Fagioli and Ndour operate in midfield, while Harrison, Piccoli and Gudmundsson lead the line.
Given the odds, the article predicts Fiorentina to win the second leg 2‑1, but that margin will be insufficient to overturn the aggregate deficit. Consequently, Crystal Palace are projected to advance 4‑2 on aggregate, booking their first ever place in a Conference League semi‑final. The encounter promises a tense, tactical battle as Fiorentina seek to defend a proud quarter‑final record, while the Eagles aim to write a new chapter in their European history.