Rapid Wien — Fiorentina : Match Preview and Prediction for October 23,2025

Recent Form and Coaching Changes for Rapid Wien

Rapid Wien underwent a coaching change this summer, bringing in the seasoned Peter Stöger. Despite an initial promising start, the former Borussia Dortmund manager and his squad are currently grappling with a run of four consecutive defeats. Most recently, the white-and-greens suffered a 0-2 loss at home to LASK, conceding both goals in the first half. Although Rapid generated numerous scoring opportunities, their inability to convert chances proved costly.

Rapid’s Conference League Struggles and Key Absences

Rapid’s Conference League campaign also kicked off on a challenging note, with a substantial 1-4 defeat against Lech in Poznań. It’s clear the team is experiencing a dip in form and a minor crisis. The upcoming fixture against Fiorentina is expected to be anything but straightforward for the home side. Key players such as Bischof, Dahl, Borkeit, Marcelin, and Strusch are sidelined for this encounter, significantly diminishing Rapid’s overall squad strength and on-field capabilities.

Fiorentina’s Managerial Shift and Domestic Form

Fiorentina similarly opted for a new head coach this summer. Despite securing a 6th-place finish in Serie A – their best performance in years – and the seemingly logical decision to continue with Palladino, the club’s management chose a different path. Stefano Pioli was recalled from the Middle East to lead the team, a decision many observers now question.

Serie A Struggles for the Viola

Fiorentina’s performances in Serie A have been notably lackluster, showing little positive progress since Palladino’s exit. After seven league rounds, the Viola remain winless. In their most recent fixture, they appeared to hold their own against AC Milan, even leading 1-0 at San Siro, but ultimately succumbed to a 1-2 defeat, narrowly missing out on points in a challenging away encounter.

Fiorentina’s Dominance in the Conference League

However, the Italian side has maintained a flawless record in the Conference League. With two finals and a semi-final appearance over the last three years in this competition, Fiorentina is once again aiming for success in Europe’s third-tier tournament, and their current campaign has started positively. They convincingly navigated past Ukrainian side Polissya in the qualifiers (winning 3-0 and 3-2) and secured a comfortable 2-0 home victory against Sigma Olomouc in the group stage. Fiorentina will be looking to secure another positive result in Vienna, though they will be without Kouame, Lamptey, and Richardson for the trip to Austria.