Conference League, the third continental event also opens its doors: a Welsh team for Fiorentina, Chelsea instead hosts Gent.
Also ready to make its debut is the Conference League, whose championship phase – the classic rounds are gone in the attic in this competition as well – starts later than the “big sisters” Champions and Europa League. And the reason is quickly said: in the Conference, each team will play only six matches and not eight as in the other two events.
It will again be up to Fiorentina to represent Italy, which has already played this cup in the last 2 years: the violets made it to the finals in both 2023 and 2024 but surrendered to West Ham and Olympiacos, respectively. To qualify this time as well, they had to overcome a preliminary: last August, the team led by Raffaele Palladino had an ugly time against the lowly Hungarians of Puskas Akademia, edging it out only on penalty kicks after it had ended extra time down to 9 men. Theigliati are struggling in the league – only one win in six games – but against the Welshmen of The New Saints there should be no history, at least on paper. This is, however, an opponent who scores in their own league by leaps and bounds (and at the same time concedes a lot), and it cannot be ruled out that they will be able to find the way of the goal at the “Franchi” as well, since Palladino will have to reinvent the defense due to disqualifications.
Victories are also likely for the other clubs that make it from the major European leagues: Chelsea is favored over Belgium’s Gent in a match that should reserve at least 3 goals in total, and in the cup Heidenheim, too inconsistent so far in the Bundesliga, could also find redemption: Olimpia Ljubljana will not be able to avoid defeat in Germany.
The predictions on the other matches
Tricky away match instead for Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis: the Andalusians will have to watch out for the Poles of Legia Warsaw, who will most likely be able to pierce the green-and-white defense.
In faraway Kazakhstan the Serbs of TSC, underdogs against Astana, are likely to struggle, while in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Panathinaikos has a good chance of going home with the first 3 points. More balanced LASK Linz-Djurgarden, although the Austrians seem to have something more than the Swedes. Finally, for those on the hunt for goals, Molde-Larne, Copenhagen-Jagiellonia and Cercle Brugge-St. Gallen may be worth considering.
Conference League, possible winners
Heidenheim (in Heidenheim-Olimpia Ljubljana).
Astana (in Astana-TSC)
Panathinaikos (in Borac Banja Luka-Panathinaikos)
LASK Linz (in LASK Linz-Djurgarden)
Matches of at least three goals total
Molde-Larne
Chelsea-Gent
Copenhagen-Jagiellonia
Conference League, the games by at least one goal per team
Cercle Brugge-St. Gallen
Legia Warsaw-Betis
Fiorentina-The New Saints
Share comparison
Astana’s win is listed at 1.63 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and at 1.70 on Snai. The “Goal” sign in Fiorentina-The New Saints is instead quoted at 3.50 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and at 3.45 Snai.
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