Fiorentina vs Hearts prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-10-12 16:45.
An impressive 3-0 victory in Scotland last week saw Fiorentina score 3+ goals for the first time since their opening match of 2022/23 in mid-August, as they moved into second place in UEFA Conference League (UECL) Group A. Repeating such a win would see Vincenzo Italiano's men take a huge step towards progressing, but Fiorentina are winless in their last three home matches in UEFA competition (D1, L2).
A 4-0 home defeat on Monday to Lazio was hardly ideal preparation for Fiorentina who have won just two of their last 12 competitive matches (D5, L5), in a run that also saw them fail to score in three of the last five. Subsequently home fans are starting to lose patience, and Italiano has admitted that hearing boos from the stands has left him with a bitter taste in his mouth as his side continue to struggle upfront.
Only a heroic last 30 minutes during their match at Kilmarnock on Sunday saved Hearts from a third three-game losing streak of the season as they salvaged a 2-2 draw. It also halted a run of seven consecutive games involving Hearts where only one side scored, which includes each of their previous three matches in the UECL (W1, L2), where they sit third with a one-point deficit to Fiorentina.
Another defeat for Hearts is expected, and the visitors have won only two of their last 11 away matches in Europe (D6, L3), though one of those was a recent 2-0 UECL victory over RFS. However, the last time Hearts won consecutive away outings in Europe was back in 1988/89, a season which still marks their best-ever continental showing, when they were eventually ousted by Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup quarter finals!
Players to watch: Fiorentina’s Christian Kouamé registered a goal and an assist in last week’s H2H, which was also the first ever European game he’s started. Lawrence Shankland has scored six competitive goals for Hearts this season, including a penalty-opener in their only UECL win so far.
Hot streak: Fiorentina are yet to concede a first-half goal in any of their five UECL outings this term.