Conference League quarter-final first leg, Thursday, 10/04/2025 at 9:00 PM
Using the Winamax bonus to test my Celje Fiorentina tip could be a good move.
As in the last 16 of the Conference League, “La Viola” could initially make a mistake when visiting an underdog. In view of the current odds for this game, there is every reason for sports betting fans to speculate on another slip-up by the Italians.
In the Conference League, Fiorentina will face Celje in the quarter-finals – a clash that many of you probably would not have expected in this form.
Anyone who has followed Fiorentina’s season knows that the Italians have had to struggle with a certain up and down – especially away from home.
Despite their ups and downs, they are still a serious opponent, competing in the Serie A and hoping to qualify for the UECL final again.
But Celje, their Slovenian challenger, could put a lot of obstacles in their way, at least in the first leg.
Those of you who have already followed the round of 16 against Lugano know that the Slovenians were considered outsiders by the betting providers with PayPal from the start.
Nevertheless, Celje managed to prevail thanks to a successful penalty shootout – which not only sent the fans into euphoria, but also gave their self-confidence a real boost.
Four important victories in domestic competitions followed: a 3-2 win over Nafta, a 1-0 win over Domzale, a 2-1 win over Bravo and another 1-0 win over arch-rivals Maribor in the Slovenian Cup.
This positive streak, after advancing to the UECL quarterfinals, has certainly given Celje the momentum they need for the upcoming clash with Fiorentina.
So Celje’s form should definitely not be underestimated. Not only did they perform well against Maribor in their national cup competition, but they also go into this encounter without any pressure.
And even if I expect the Italians to advance, I still can’t shake the idea that Fiorentina will face problems, at least in the first leg.
On the contrary, Fiorentina has struggled to perform consistently away from home in the Europa Conference League. Of their last five European Cup matches, Florence have only won one.
Their away record is therefore far from convincing, which could play a decisive role in a competition of this kind. There is a clear tendency for them to have problems away from home time and again – and that could play into Celje’s hands.
A team that has only won one of its last ten away games, including defeats to Panathinaikos (3-2) and Verona (1-0), may well disappoint again when they visit the Slovenian underdog.
For the more daring sports betting fans, the option “double chance 1X” at 2.75 could be very interesting.
This bet could be particularly worthwhile considering that Fiorentina always struggles away from home and that Celje is quite capable of achieving a good result in its current form.
A draw or even a victory for Celje is therefore by no means out of the question – and with this betting offer, you can prepare for both scenarios!
For those of you who are looking for a little less excitement, the bet “Celje win with handicap +2” at 1.66 could be considered as an alternative.
This lower-risk option not only alludes to the fact that Fiorentina have shown weaknesses away from home, but also to the fact that the Slovenians usually perform extremely well at home.
After all, if you haven’t lost any of your last 11 European home games, you have to be considered consistent, right?
The factor “experience” should also be mentioned in my Celje Fiorentina betting tip.
Because the Slovenians are taking part in a hot knockout phase for the first time in their club history. Until a few months ago, they had never successfully survived a group or league phase.
Fiorentina, on the other hand, have been tried and tested in internationals and, as multiple UECL finalists, will come under pressure next Thursday, but will not buckle completely and, in the worst case scenario, will be able to rectify a possible first-leg defeat in the second leg.
Conclusion: I would not be at all shocked if it were 0-0 or 1-1 after 90 minutes on Thursday.
As already mentioned, the Slovenians have not lost any of their last eleven European home games and are now facing a team that is not convincing away from home.
After the intense 2:2 draw against Milan, I expect that the “Viola” will prefer to save their strength for the second leg and that the initial aim will be to avoid making any mistakes.
So my Celje Fiorentina betting tip is: NK Celje win with handicap +2.