Fiorentina advanced to the semifinals of the Conference League despite a sloppy 2-2 draw with Celje. Rolando Mandragora opened the scoring, ghosting into space to meet a tidy Marin Pongračić through ball and slot home with his right. Celje responded well, but Fiorentina deserved its lead under the driving rain when the whistle arrived.
The second half saw Fiorentina hand Celje the initiative, and the Rumeno-modri took it. Aljoša Matko reduced the aggregate lead to a single goal, and Klemen Nemanič took the lead on the night with a fantastic header off a corner. However, Moise Kean decided he’d had enough of this silliness, latching onto a hopeful switch of play, driving forward, and curling a lethal finish into the far post.
Kean’s goal was confirmed after a lengthy VAR review, and Fiorentina held on despite Celje’s pressure. The Viola rearguard kept the visitors at bay, and the hosts emerged victorious in a tie that was much closer than it should’ve been. “The triple blast arrived and handed the hosts the victory in a tie that was much closer than it should’ve been but ultimately reflected the balance of play across both legs.”
Fiorentina will face Real Betis in the semifinals, with the first leg in Seville in two weeks. The return leg will be a week after that, sandwiched between crucial league matches against Empoli, AS Roma, and Venezia. Raffaele Palladino’s squad rotation will be put to the test, and he may choose to rest key players like Kean for the upcoming match against Cagliari.
The win marks Fiorentina’s third consecutive Conference League semifinal appearance, and the team will look to build on this momentum. Despite the sloppy play, the Viola showed resilience and determination to advance to the next round.