Fiorentina's Squad Shredded: Youth Invasion for Snowy Polish Nightmare Against Jagiellonia

Alright, lads, grab your pints because Fiorentina are heading into their UEFA Conference League play-off first leg against Jagiellonia looking like they've been hit by a bus... or maybe just a particularly nasty flu bug and a dodgy pitch in Poland. It's Thursday night in Białystok, 8pm GMT, at the Stadion Miejski, and the Viola are taking on the Polish side with a squad that's more patchwork quilt than title contender. The return leg's back home at the Artemio Franchi next week, but right now, coach Paolo Vanoli's got his hands full just trying to field 11 blokes who can stand up in the snow.

Let's rewind a bit. Last weekend, Fiorentina pulled off a proper smash-and-grab, nicking a 2-1 win at Como in Serie A. That beauty lifted them out of the relegation scrapheap, and you could almost hear the sighs of relief from Florence. Roberto Piccoli was popping champagne – or at least celebrating like it – after bagging one in the Coppa Italia thrashing of Como recently too. But here's the rub: victories like that come with a price tag, and it's written in bruised fingers and sniffly noses.

David de Gea, the Spanish shot-stopper who's been a rock since joining, copped a dislocated finger on his left mitt during that Como clash. Ouch. Can't exactly punch a ball with a wonky digit, can you? Then there's January new boy Manor Solomon, who's sidelined with flu symptoms – talk about rotten timing. Moise Kean, the ex-Juve lad, Dodo, Albert Gudmundsson, and Tariq Lamptey are all nursing knocks and staying put in Florence. It's like the treatment room's hosting a party and nobody told Vanoli.

But wait, there's more! Marco Brescianini, Oliver Christensen, and Daniele Rugani aren't even on the UEFA squad list for this stage, so they're twiddling thumbs back home. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Vanoli's raided the youth academy like it's a Black Friday sale. Eight kids from the Primavera have been drafted in, including two keepers. Step forward Luca Lezzerini, who's in line for his first UEFA outing for Fiorentina since a 3-2 Europa League heartbreak against PAOK back in November 2016. That's nearly a decade ago – talk about dusting off the cobwebs!

The traveling squad reads like a who's who of backups and bright young things: Balbo, Bertolini, Bonanno, Braschi, Comuzzo, Deli, Fabbian, Fagioli, Fazzini, Fortini, Gosens, Harrison, Kouadio, Leonardelli, Lezzerini, Magalotti, Mandragora, Ndour, Parisi, Piccoli, Pongracic, Ranieri, Sadotti. Solid pros like Gosens and Mandragora will have to carry the can, but with the kids in tow, it's anyone's guess how it'll pan out.

And let's not forget the weather forecast – it's grim up north. Heavy snow in Białystok, and this ain't no plastic pitch; it's proper grass that's turning into a skating rink under the freeze. Vanoli's playing it safe, no risks with his stars. You wouldn't send your best mates out in that without a thermals and a hot toddy, would you? Jagiellonia, sitting pretty in the Polish Ekstraklasa, will fancy their chances at home, especially with Fiorentina's defence looking thinner than my wallet after a night out.

As reported by Susy Campanale at Football Italia, this is Fiorentina's big chance to keep their European dream alive, but it's shaping up to be a right old survival test. Vanoli's boosted by that Serie A win, sure, but can his ragtag army navigate the snow, the injuries, and the Poles? We'll find out Thursday. If they pull it off, it'll be one for the pub tales. Forza Viola... or at least, don't freeze!

(Word count: 612)