After 14 attempts, Real Betis are having their best season in Europe

Fiorentina, billed as one of the top favorites to win the Conference League, will be back in action when the semi-finals get underway. The Italians start off their last-four quest with an away game in Seville, Spain, where they will meet Real Betis. This tie has been regarded by many as a final before the final, with the aggregate winner to face Chelsea or Djurgarden. Read on for our prediction of the match.

After 14 attempts, Real Betis are having their best season in Europe. A great campaign in the Conference League means they are the first Spanish side to reach here in this competition.

Despite being new at this stage, bookies list Betis as favorites to win the first leg. Fiorentina are regarded as the team that has been hurt the most in this competition, having lost two finals. They’ve progressed through all their eight knockout round ties over time.

These sides have never faced off in Europe before but Betis’ first-ever tie in Europe was a 3-2 aggregate win over Milan in the 1978/79 Cup Winners’ Cup. They have since faced Italian opposition six more times, losing only once – to Bologna in the 1998/99 UEFA Cup.

Cedric Bakambu has netted seven times in Europe this season, more than any player in Betis’ history in a single campaign, but has missed their last two games and is set to be sidelined again for this one. Marc Roca, Diego Llorente, Nobel Mendy and Chimy Avila are also set to miss out.

Fiorentina could be without striker Moises Kean due to a personal problem but manager Raffaele Palladino was hopeful of having him back involved. Edoardo Bove, Andrea Colpan and Dodo are set to be sidelined.

Real Betis: Adria, Bartra, Natan, R Rodriguez, Sabaly, Cardoso, Antony, Fornals, Isco, J Rodriguez., Hernandez.

Fiorentina: De Gea, Pongracic, Ranieri, Comuzzo, Mandragora, Cataldi, Fagioli, Gosens, Folorunsho, Gudmundsson, Kean.