Celje vs Fiorentina Prediction: La Viola to strike high-scoring note

It has been a roller-coaster for Slovenian upstarts Celje to reach the Uefa Conference League quarter-finals, so expect entertainment in their first leg at home to Fiorentina on Thursday (20.00, live on TNT Sports 4).

Read on for my Celje vs Fiorentina predictions, as well as the latest team news and match odds.

Football Odds

Team News

Celje are missing key striker Armandys Kucys, who has scored eight goals in two months, but who was injured playing for Lithuania last month.

Fiorentina are still missing left wing-back Robin Gosens and wideman Andrea Colpani, while former Arsenal defender Pablo Mari has not been registered by head coach Raffaele Palladino for the knockout stage.

Celje vs Fiorentina Odds

NK Celje, the first Slovenian team to reach this stage of a UEFA competition, are 13/2 to win the home leg of their quarter-final against mighty Fiorentina.

The Italians are a 2/5 shot and it is 4/1 the draw. Eight of Celje's 12 matches in the competition have landed BTTS honours - that's a 10/11 chance this time.

Fiorentina Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ 1/1

NK Celje have unquestionably punched above their weight reaching the last eight of the UEFA Conference League, but the fun is set to stop here.

Fiorentina have announced a near full-strength squad for the trip to Slovenia as they seek to extend their impressive form.

The Italians followed up a trio of impressive home wins over Panathinaikos - in this competition - Juventus and Atalanta - in Serie A - with a 2-2 draw at AC Milan on Saturday.

They qualified effortlessly from the group phase with four wins and just one loss and are by a distance the best opponent Celje will have faced.

It is worth noting that Fiorentina have progressed from all 11 of their two-legged Conference League ties, which is quite the record.

Celje's progress has been far more entertaining with as many defeats (5) as wins. Ex-Liverpool winger Albert Riera's men had needed to come from behind to beat The New Saints just to make the play-offs and needed penalties to take care of Lugano in the last round.

They have won four in a row domestically - though are only fourth in the league - and are the 1-SNL's top scorers.

They will have to be positive with a daunting trip to Florence to come so expect them to be positive, expect La Viola to dominate and back the visitors and over 2.5 goals.

Home team corners Over 3.5 @ 5/6

This might be new territory for Celje, but they won't go into their shell.

Riera's Slovenian league top scorers are an attacking side - they have scored 26 goals in 12 games in the tournament - and they know they have to get something from the first game at their Stadion Z'dezele home.

A positive attitude should yield some corners at the very least. They average 4.7 throughout the tournament and can clear 3.5 against their Italian guests.

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