Fiorentina v TNS: Saints embark on an historic Italian job

Oswestry-based Saints travelled to Italy yesterday as they prepare to play the Serie A side at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

It’s an exciting prospect for Saints after making history by becoming the first JD Cymru Premier side to progress to this stage of a European competition.

Five more league phase games will follow tonight’s opener in Florence.

Saints will also head to Irish club Shamrock Rovers and Celje in Slovenia, with matches against Astana from Kazakhstan, Swedish club Djurgarden and Panathinaikos from Greece to come at Shrewsbury Town’s Croud Meadow.

There’s much anticipation ahead of tonight’s big game, a proud night for the club, with TNS head coach Craig Harrison having plenty of selection options.

Harrison is well aware just how much all of the Park Hall club’s players will want to be involved in such a high-profile match.

With such a busy fixture list of domestic games to also plan for alongside Saints’ six Conference League matches, Harrison has much to consider when it comes to picking his starting XI.

“There’s been some players at the club for a long, long time,” said Harrison.

“There’s going to be some disappointed players – players that have been here for a long time, players that have just come to the club.

“The reason why people come to the club is to be part of nights like this.

“But I’ve got to pick the best team, not only for the night, but for the games ahead, for the domestic challenge of playing a game every three days until Christmas, so from that point of view, I’ve got to not be emotionally attached to it. Yes, pick the best team available to try and get something out of the game, but also as well I’ve got to have one eye on the rest of the games as well.

“Fortunately, this week, which is amazing, we’ve just got Ash Baker back, Jordan Marshall back, Josh Pask, Ryan Brobbel and Declan McManus.

“What five players to come back into the squad.

“They all managed to play minutes over the weekend, whether that was 20 minutes against Newtown on Friday, or the other lads played 45 minutes in the reserves on Saturday, so they’ve got some match minutes, and it’s massive having five players of their quality coming back in the squad, which obviously just makes my job a little bit harder again.”

Fiorentina – beaten finalists in the Uefa Conference League in the last two years – are currently 11th in Serie A, with one win, one defeat and four draws from their opening six league games this season.

Harrison recently attended their home match against Lazio, a game Fiorentina won 2-1.

The Fiorentina squad includes many internationals, including former Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, signed earlier this season.

Harrison also knows all about many of the club’s star names of the past, the likes of Gabriel Batistuta and Rui Costa, from watching Gazzetta Football Italia on Channel 4 during the 1990s.

He added: “It was something that was different because we were so used to watching English football and then all of a sudden we had access to Italian football, and it just felt a really special time.”