Fiorentina will face Crystal Palace in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League quarter-final this Thursday evening at Selhurst Park, with Italian international Moise Kean unavailable for selection.
Crystal Palace enters the tie as the bookmakers’ favourites to win the Conference League title, but they must first overcome Fiorentina, a team that has reached the final twice before. The Viola concluded the league phase just one point adrift of their South London opponents. Fiorentina secured their place in the quarter-finals by dispatching Rakow Czestochowa with a 4-2 aggregate victory in the round of 16, while Palace advanced past AEK Larnaca after a goalless draw in the initial home leg of that encounter.
Fiorentina’s squad for this match is without Kean, who did not travel, alongside Manor Solomon and Fabiano Parisi. Kean’s absence is not expected to be a long-term issue, and he is anticipated to be fit to play against Lazio in Serie A over the weekend. Roberto Piccoli is the likely candidate to fill his position in the starting XI for the match in South London. Rolando Mandragora, having recovered from a minor injury, is back in contention but is projected to begin the game among the substitutes.
For Crystal Palace, reports prior to the match suggest that Jean-Phillipe Mateta could make his return to the starting line-up. Mateta has been nursing a knee injury, which notably prevented his January transfer move to Milan from materializing and has kept him out of competitive action since. Additionally, former Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada might feature in Palace’s initial eleven.
The kick-off for tonight’s game is scheduled for 20:00 BST.
Crystal Palace vs. Fiorentina: Predicted Starting XIs
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvas; Johnson, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Mateta.
Fiorentina (4-1-4-1): De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Fagioli; Harrison, Fabbian, Ndour, Gudmundsson; Piccoli.
Where to Watch Crystal Palace vs. Fiorentina
In the United Kingdom, tonight’s match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3, with online streaming options available through Discovery+. Supporters in the USA can tune in via Paramount+.