Panathinaikos vs Fiorentina: Showing Ambitions in the Conference League

Panathinaikos hosts Fiorentina at OAKA (19:45, Newsit.gr, Cosmote Sport 4 HD) in the first leg of their round-of-16 clash in the Conference League. Panathinaikos knows that to have a chance against Fiorentina and make significant progress in the Conference League, they must secure a win at home or at least a result that keeps them alive ahead of the return leg at ‘Artemio Franchi’. The ‘greens’ face a team well-versed in the competition, having reached the final for two consecutive seasons (2023, 2024), though without winning the trophy. Their last game against Olympiacos, where the Piraeus side won 1-0, remains fresh in memory. While Panathinaikos has had an inconsistent run in the Super League, they advanced from a tight playoff series against Vikingur. In contrast, Fiorentina placed third in the League Phase with only one draw and defeat in six matches. If Panathinaikos eliminates Fiorentina and advances to the semi-finals, they will face the winner of the Chelsea-Lugano pairing, hosting the first leg. Georgios Vagianidis made the final roster for Panathinaikos, while Rui Vitória left out Pellistri, Gentwai, Bakasetas, and Palmer-Brown. The match will be officiated by Belgian referee Erik Lambrechts, assisted by fellow Belgians Jo de Wit and Kevin Mondaini, with Wim Smet as the fourth official and Bram van Dreese and Jan Boutersem handling VAR duties.