<p>The <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/uefa-competitions/uefa-europa-conference-qualifiers">UEFA Europa Conference League play‑offs</a> serve up a classic David‑versus‑Goliath narrative today,&nbsp; as Polissya Zhytomyr welcome Serie A heavyweights Fiorentina for the first leg.</p> <p>It’s a genuine clash of ambition against experience: a Ukrainian side earning their shot the hard way, up against a club built for deep runs in Europe and stacked with players used to high‑pressure nights.</p> <p>Polissya Zhytomyr’s rise to this stage has been one of the more compelling subplots of this qualifying campaign.</p> <p>They’ve stitched together results through organisation, work rate and a clear tactical plan, all while operating under the sort of constraints that would sink lesser outfits.</p> <p>Getting this far is no accident; it speaks to a team that knows its strengths and sticks to them.</p> <p>Fiorentina arrive as deserved favourites. They bring the pedigree of Serie A, the depth to manage two legs, and the kind of European nous that only comes from repeated exposure to knockout football.</p> <p>A recent run to the 2023 and 2024 Conference League finals (both lost) still matters here; those experiences tend to show up in the tight moments, particularly away from home.</p> <h2>Experience and Pressure</h2> <p>There’s no getting around the quality gap, as Fiorentina operate at a higher baseline across most departments: individual talent, tactical flexibility, and squad rotation.</p> <p>Stefano Pioni has had time to bed in ideas and the Viola’s pre‑season conditioning usually holds up late in games, which counts for plenty in European qualifiers.</p> <p>Polissya Zhytomyr will likely lean into a compact shape, disciplined distances between the lines, and quick counters when the chance presents.</p> <p>Set‑pieces and transition moments feel like their clearest path to nicking something. For Fiorentina, this is about patience and structure: move the ball with tempo, create overloads in wide areas, and trust their bench to tilt the last half‑hour if the game’s still tight.</p> <p>Tournament know‑how is a real edge for Fiorentina. They understand how to manage a two‑leg tie, when to press, when to slow it, and how to avoid getting dragged into chaos.</p> <p>The pressure, strangely, sits more with the Italians because expectation is heavy. Polissya Zhytomyr, by contrast, can play with a bit of freedom. That “nothing to lose” mindset can be dangerous if the visitors switch off or fail to match intensity early.</p> <h2>Polissya Zhytomyr vs Fiorentina Prediction</h2> <p>On balance, Fiorentina should find a way to control large chunks of the match and fashion enough high‑quality chances to take a lead back to Italy.</p> <p>Polissya Zhytomyr’s defensive resolve can keep things honest for a while, especially with a committed home crowd behind them, but the visitors’ extra layers of class and bench impact are tough to fade over ninety minutes.</p> <p>The prediction is <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/uefa-competitions/uefa-europa-conference-qualifiers/polissya-zhytomyr-v-fiorentina-9527973">Fiorentina to edge a professional first‑leg victory</a>, with the margin more workmanlike than flashy. A low‑to‑moderate scoring game would not surprise, particularly if Polissya Zhytomyr prioritise damage limitation once behind.</p> <p>We anticipate a challenging match for the Ukrainian team, with Albert Guðmundsson, Edin Dzeko, and Moise Kean all expected to start. Fiorentina's new striker, Roberto Piccoli, is unlikely to make his debut in this fixture.</p>