Conference League | Celje 1-2 Fiorentina – Harder than expected | OneFootball

Fiorentina picked up a valuable lead in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final, with a 2-1 victory away against Celje thanks to goals from Luca Ranieri and Rolando Mandragora, in a game that was tougher than expected in Slovenia.

Raffaele Palladino went with a rotated Fiorentina side following the 2-2 draw with Milan in Serie A over the weekend. There was no Moise Kean or Albert Gudmundsson in the line-up, with Nicolo Zaniolo and Lucas Beltran coming in to replace them. Dodo, Nicolo Fagioli, Fabiano Parisi and Pablo Mari also came out of the starting XI.

You can see how the action unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 05: Raffaele Palladino, Head Coach of Fiorentina, looks on prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 05, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Though Fiorentina were the clear favourites ahead of kick-off, it was Celje who threatened with the early half-chanes. Logan Delaurier-Chaubet and Aljosa Matko twice hit the side netting of David De Gea’s goal with decent efforts off the right flank.

Fiorentina were also let off with a couple of sloppy passes out from the back in the first quarter of an hour, but their Slovenian opposition were not able to capitalise.

Then, against the run of play, captain Ranieri stepped up and did it all by himself to hand Fiorentina a 1-0 lead. He made it all the way to the left byline, took on his defenders and managed to squeeze a shot in from a tight angle with the help of a failed save from Silva in the Celje net.

A favourable penalty call helped Fiorentina on their way to 2-0. There was the slightest of touches on Mandragora in the penalty area, which nobody seemed to spot first time around, but a lengthy VAR check resulted in the referee going over to the screen and giving a spot kick.

Mandragora stepped up and dispatched down the left, sending Silva the wrong way in the process.

Another penalty would be awarded just a few minutes later, as a clumsy Marin Pongracic shoved Matko over in the area in a much easier call to spot.

Delaurier Chaubet stepped up, and like Mandragora, stuck it down the left and sent the ‘keeper the wrong way while doing so.

Fiorentina thought they should have been given another spot-kick when Parisi went down in the left of the area, which looked more like a penalty than the one given to Mandragora, but the officials were adamant: No penalty.

Nicolo Zaniolo had the ball in the back of the net 10 minutes from time, but the flag was up for an offside in the build-up, a call that was not contested by the Viola players.

Celje 1-2 Fiorentina

Ranieri 27’ (F), Mandragora 62’ (F), Delaurier Chaubet 68’ (C).