Crystal Palace v Fiorentina: One player back training for Conference League, others doubtful

Crystal Palace take on Fiorentina in a Conference League quarterfinal on Thursday. The game at Selhurst Park can prove massive for the Italian side, who are in a relegation battle in Serie A.

Things have improved over the past few weeks for La Viola, who are unbeaten in four league games. The European clash will be a different challenge, as they have struggled against the likes of Rakow, Jagiellonia and even Laussane.

The Polish side took them to extra-time last month, even if the Florence club picked up a 3-0 win in the first leg. That, in a nutshell, has been the story of Fiorentina’s rollercoaster campaign.

Their strange record in the Conference League won’t be the only problem against Crystal Palace, as Paolo Vanoli’s side are dealing with multiple fitness worries.

Multiple uncertainties for Fiorentina

Gazzetta dello Sport today heap praise on Niccolo Fagioli, who was key in the second leg against Rakow. He also scored against Hellas Verona at the weekend and should feature against the Eagles.

One key returnee for Fiorentina is Dodo, who was missing against Verona. He should travel to London to play against Crystal Palace, having returned to training already.

That is the only positive, as Rolando Mandragora is likely to be out. Manor Solomon, Niccolo Fortini and fullback Fabiano Parisi should also remain out. The Israeli winger, specifically, hasn’t played since early March due to a thigh problem.

This is why Fiorentina will rely heavily on Fagioli, who could’ve also been called up to the Italian national team some weeks ago. He has turned a corner after a disappointing first few months and is La Viola’s most important player right now.

Our take: Fiorentina may not spring surprises

As of now, Vanoli’s side have a major goal for the season and that is to survive the drop. A club as big as Fiorentina simply can’t go down to Serie B and the campaign has been a nightmare.

This has impacted how they perform in the Conference League and is evident in every game.

That is why Crystal Palace might not face major problems on Thursday. Even if Fagioli and Moise Kean will feature, things sometimes fall flat for the Florence club when they play an extra game in a week. They will also play the second leg next week, which will pile on the pressure.

Oliver Glasner’s side haven’t played a game since 19th March and this can also swing things in their favour.