Fiorentina — Polesie Zhytomyr : Match Preview and Prediction for August 28,2025

Fiorentina’s European Journey

Fiorentina has consistently performed well in the Conference League. In 2024, they reached the final, where they ultimately lost to Olympiacos. This year, they fell just short, being defeated by Real Betis in the semi-finals. For the current campaign, the Italian side entered directly into the final qualification round, where they comfortably dispatched Polesie with a 3-0 victory. They secured a two-goal lead in the first half, and even after Moise Kean’s red card, ‘The Viola’ managed to net a third in the second half. It’s safe to say that Stefano Pioli’s squad is well on its way to advancing.

Domestic Form and Tactical Approach

Domestically, in Serie A, Fiorentina’s performance has, as often is the case, lacked consistency. This was evident in their opening match, where they secured an away draw against Cagliari (1-1). Furthermore, it would be inaccurate to claim they dominated the game; in fact, the opposite was true. This reflects Pioli’s characteristic cautious approach, a style he also favored during his tenure at AC Milan.

Summer Transfers and Squad Strength

The Italian club’s management has been quite active and successful in the summer transfer window. They’ve secured several key signings, including Albert Gudmundsson from Genoa, Robin Gosens from Union Berlin, Nicolò Fagioli from Juventus, Edin Džeko from Fenerbahçe, Jacopo Fazzini from Empoli, Simone Zom from Parma, and Roberto Piccoli from Cagliari. Crucially, they also managed to retain the core of their existing squad.

Polesie’s European Campaign

Polesie Zhytomyr is still finding its footing in European competitions, having made their debut just last year. Their initial experience, however, was brief, as they suffered two defeats to Olimpia and exited immediately. This season, they have managed to progress through two qualifying rounds, but unfortunately, this appears to be their limit. In the second stage, the Zhytomyr side overcame modest Santa Clara, albeit not without difficulties, even losing their home leg 1-2. However, ‘The Wolves’ secured a confident 4-1 victory in Gibraltar. Their journey continued with more twists; Ruslan Rotan’s team initially thrashed Paks 3-0, seemingly confirming their progression. Yet, in Hungary, the hosts quickly took a 2-0 lead and had ample opportunities to complete a comeback. Fortune, however, favored Polesie, who scored late to seal a 1-2 defeat, securing their aggregate win. Against Fiorentina, the expected struggle materialized, with the Italian side effectively neutralizing Polesie’s attack and creating chances for well over three goals.

Domestic Struggles

Their situation in the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL) is equally challenging. While they started the season strongly with a confident 3-0 away win against Karpaty, they then suffered two consecutive defeats to less formidable opponents, Kolos (0-1) and LNZ (0-2). It’s evident that ‘The Wolves’ are struggling to cope with playing two matches a week, which has undoubtedly contributed to these results.