Sabasports Match Preview
UEFA Conference League: Fiorentina vs AEK Athens
Kickoff Time: 2025-11-28 04:00 (HKT)
Source: REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo
Fiorentina drew 1-1 with Juventus in their home Serie A match last weekend, marking two consecutive league draws. Previously, Fiorentina officially announced the dismissal of Stefano Pioli and appointed the 58-year-old Paolo Vanoli as the team’s new head coach. Although Paolo Vanoli did not lead the team to an immediate victory after taking charge, he managed to halt the team’s losing streak. Especially the draw against Juventus has gradually helped him establish his authority within the team. The most notable achievement in Paolo Vanoli’s coaching career was leading Venezia to promotion to Serie A. That Venezia team did not play flashy football; they relied on tight organization, efficient counter-attacks, and resilient defense. Nowadays, Fiorentina is no longer pursuing a glamorous style of play, opting instead for a more pragmatic approach. Perhaps the club has realized that they simply want someone who can securely deliver victories.
AEK Athens narrowly defeated Aris 1-0 in their home Greek Super League match last weekend. The team is in excellent form, having achieved an impressive record of four wins and one draw in their last five matches. In European competitions, AEK Athens has managed a record of one win, one draw, and one loss in the first three rounds of the UEFA Europa Conference League, indicating relatively average performance. AEK Athens’ tactical approach is based on possession-based play. Although they maintain a high possession rate in matches, their shot conversion efficiency is low, exposing the team’s weakness in breaking down defenses in positional attacks. Furthermore, AEK Athens’ performance in European away matches has been notably poor. So far this season, including qualifying matches, they have recorded a dismal record of three draws and one loss in their four European away games, earning them the reputation of being “away strugglers” in Europe.
From an overall strength perspective, Fiorentina’s squad value is four times that of AEK Athens, making the disparity in quality between the two teams self-evident. Additionally, Fiorentina’s performance in European competitions this season has been significantly better than in the league, while AEK Athens’ weak away performances in Europe are precisely their Achilles’ heel. Therefore, it seems reasonable to favor Fiorentina, who enjoy home advantage, to secure all three points in this match.
Fiorentina’s Last 5 Games: DDLLL
25-11-23 Fiorentina 1-1 Juventus
25-11-09 Genoa 2-2 Fiorentina
25-11-07 Mainz 05 2-1 Fiorentina
25-11-02 Fiorentina 0-1 Lecce
25-10-30 Inter 3-0 Fiorentina
AEK Athens‘s Last 5 Games: WWDWW
25-11-23 AEK Athens 1-0 Aris
25-11-09 OFI Crete 0-1 AEK Athens
25-11-07 AEK Athens 1-1 Shamrock Rovers
25-11-03 AEK Athens 1-0 Panetolikos
25-10-29 Ilioupoli GS 0-1 AEK Athens
Head-To-Head Record
07-11-30 AEK Athens 1-1 Fiorentina
Prediction: Fiorentina to win