Fiorentina vs Sivasspor prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2023-03-08 20:00.
The possibility of Fiorentina keeping the coveted UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) trophy in Italy could be realistic if the tournament so far is anything to go by. The men from Florence are the competition’s highest scorers by some margin with 21 goals from just eight games (W6, D1, L1), and that’s not to mention a five-goal return across back-to-back Serie A wins which has raised hopes of a top-half league finish, in addition to progression beyond this Round of 16 tie.
Further boosting confidence in the home camp will be Fiorentina’s rock solid H2H record against sides from Türkiye (W5, L1). It was ironically a Turkish side (İstanbul Başakşehir) that consigned Fiorentina to second place in Group B, with only H2H goal difference eventually sending the Italians to the knockout play-off. That afforded them the opportunity to showcase their blistering attack with an astonishing seven-goal haul (7-2 agg.) against Braga.
Visiting Sivasspor have also been so strong in attack that no side has kept them off the scoresheet in any of their last 13 competitive games, more recently highlighted by hauls of exactly three goals in three of their last four games. The Turkish outfit finished on top of their group with fewer points than Fiorentina (11 to 13), but they’re suffering domestically with just a two-point cushion keeping them out of the Süper Lig drop zone.
Their domestic anguish will have to take a back seat for now as whatever happens, this team have made history as the first Sivasspor squad to feature in springtime European football. This will be their first match against Italian opposition too, and with just a 37% win-rate in European away games (W5, D2, L7), success is certainly not guaranteed.
Players to watch: Fiorentina’s Luka Jović is on course for the UECL golden boot with six goals to his name already, including braces in his last two scoring European appearances. Trying to outdo him will be Sivasspor’s creative 35-year-old midfielder Max Gradel, who has made five goal contributions across his last eight appearances (G2, A3).
Hot streak: Despite remaining undefeated at home in European football this season (W4, D1), Fiorentina are yet to keep a clean sheet.