Jagiellonia vs Fiorentina – News and Probable Lineups

As they kick off their Conference League knockout playoff, Jagiellonia Bialystok will face Fiorentina in Poland on Thursday for the first leg.

The aggregate winner will go on to meet either Strasbourg or the Polish side, Rakow Czestochowa, in the last 16 after next week’s return leg.

Match overview

Jagiellonia has already secured 1-1 draws away against Strasbourg and Shkendija and concluded their league phase with a tension-filled goalless draw against AZ Alkmaar, which was sufficient to qualify for the playoffs.

Early victories at home against Hamrun Spartans and KuPS had placed Adrian Siemieniec’s team in a solid position, but a 2-1 loss to Rayo Vallecano raised doubts about their progress.

Even though they never scored more than once in any match, Jaga has shown resilience; that loss to Rayo is their only defeat in twelve European matches this season, including qualifying games.

The club from Bialystok is currently experiencing the most successful period in its history, having finally secured its first league title in 2024 and reached the quarter-finals of the Conference League last term.

Leading the Ekstraklasa in Poland, Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Cracovia has left them two points ahead of a tightly contested chasing group, with one game in hand.

Now, Jaga will compete against Italian opponents for the first time, looking to secure an advantage for the second leg to be held next week at Stadio Franchi.

In contrast to their hosts, Fiorentina brings considerable continental experience, remaining unbeaten in their previous four visits to Poland.

The Viola claimed the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1961 and have finished as Conference League runners-up twice in the last three years.

However, unlike their recent journeys which ended deep in the tournament, the Serie A side has struggled in this year’s competition.

While their start was promising, consecutive losses to Mainz and AEK Athens put them in a precarious position before salvaging a crucial home win against Dynamo Kyiv.

On the final matchday, Paolo Vanoli’s team suffered defeat against Lausanne, leaving them in 15th place and facing a challenging knockout playoff.

Domestically, Fiorentina continues to battle for survival, currently three points from safety.

Denied a win in stoppage time by Torino recently, they did manage to defeat Como last week, swiftly avenging their exit from the Coppa Italia.

Since his arrival in November, Vanoli has overseen some improvement, but his side still appears fragile, having managed just one clean sheet in their last 20 Serie A outings.

Team News

For the first leg, Jagiellonia will be without two crucial players due to suspensions: their star striker Afimico Pululu was dismissed against AZ, while long-time captain Taras Romanczuk received three yellow cards in the league phase.

Dimitris Rallis, a Greek forward, could step in for Pululu, while several options are available to fill Romanczuk’s central midfield role.

In addition, Sergio Lozano and Dusan Stojinovic are expected to be sidelined due to injuries.

Excluding qualifying matches, the only player to score more than once for Jaga in Europe this season is Jesus Imaz, who has netted twice; similarly, Fiorentina’s joint-top scorers Albert Gudmundsson and Cher Ndour have also both scored twice.

Ndour missed last month’s defeat in Lausanne due to a suspension but could return to the starting lineup for Thursday’s match with a restructured squad.

New signings Jack Harrison, Manor Solomon, and Giovanni Fabbian have replaced players like Edin Dzeko, Pablo Mari, and Hans Nicolussi Caviglia.

Due to injury, another recent addition, Daniele Rugani, along with Gudmundsson, will join long-term absentee Tariq Lamptey on the sidelines.

Having faced a decline compared to last season—where he was the second-highest scorer in Serie A and impactful in the Conference League—Moise Kean will look to build on his match-winning penalty versus Como.

Jagiellonia Bialystok probable starting XI:

Abramovich; Wojtuszek, Vital, Pelmard, Widow; Mazurek, Drachal; Nahuel, Image, Pozo; Rallis

Fiorentina probable starting XI:

Martinelli; Dodo, Comuzzo, Pongracic, Fortini; Mandragora, Ndour; Parisi, Fabbian, Solomon; Kean

Playing at home, Jagiellonia is likely to prove too strong for an inconsistent Fiorentina, who have struggled to find their form in recent months.

While the Viola have a poor away record, the Polish champions are formidable on their own turf and may secure a narrow lead in the first leg.