Fiorentina have put one foot in the last 16 of the Europa League thanks to a solid 3-1 win in their away leg against Esbjerg of Denmark.
After a strong start from the home team Fiorentina took the lead with their first real chance. Alessandro Matri controlled a pass well to finish low.
Martin Pusic levelled just a minute later for the hosts, but the Italians went back in front through Ilicic, who finished low from an angle. The important fourth goal went to Alberto Aquilani from the penalty spot.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good afternoon all! The first few games of the Champions League are done, which means that next up is the Europa League. All 32 remaining sides are in action tonight and with me you can follow Esbjerg vs. Fiorentina.
First things first, I say. Which means that the teams are in, so let's take a look at who's playing shall we?
ESBJERG XI: Dubravka; P. Ankersen, Drobo, Jakobsen, Knudsen; J.Ankersen, Andreasen, Lekven, Lyng, Fellah; Pusic
FIORENTINA XI: Neto; Roncaglia, Campper, Savic, Pasqual; Aquilani, Fernandez, Valero, Ilicic; Matri, Matos
Esbjerg subs: Hojberg, Bergvold, J Andersen, Lucena, Rasmussen, Van Buren, Bakenga
Fiorentina subs: Rosati, Tomovic, Pizarro, Bakic, Joaquin, Ambrosini, Gomez
As you can see there from the Fiorentina bench: Mario Gomez is back. He came off the bench at the weekend and continues his recovery from injury. If he's needed he's exactly the sort of player who can earn a win!
It looks from the lineup that Vincenzo Montella has opted for a 4-3-3 formation, with youngster Ryder Matos with Alessandro Matri in attack, as well as Josip Ilicic. It's an attacking team and Montella may want to have the effort done in the home leg so they can relax in Italy. Maybe not, but they should win this encounter even so.
A reminder that all 16 games are taking place tonight. We have coverage of four others, so take a look at the top of the page and do follow Dnipro vs. Tottenham, Juventus vs. Trabzonspor or Dynamo Kiev vs. Valencia with us as well. It should be a good evening of football.
PREDICTION: Before we get started, I guess I should put my neck on the line. European away days are never easy, but I'm sure few people will be expecting a home win from this one today. I reckon the Italians will take it 2-1 and will perhaps have to come from behind.
The players are lined up and we're almost ready to get underway. There's a good noise inside the ground on a miserable evening in Denmark.
KICKOFF: Here we go then. The whistle is blown and the hosts, in blue and white, kick us off.
Pusic drifts across wide left and wins a free kick around just inside the hosts' half. They play it short and it comes to nothing. Strong start from Esbjerg, though, in what is a massive game for this club. They're keen to cross early on, but the latest attempt is flicked on and out of play.
CHANCE! Decent chance there for Pusic, who won a header from a right wing cross, but he could not get enough power on it and Neto gathers easily. This is just what the home side wanted to begin with.
Fiorentina now coming into it a little bit more. Roncaglia pings a good ball out to the right before Ilicic plays a one-two with Borja Valero, but the shot screws wide of the near post.
GOAL! Esbjerg 0-1 Fiorentina (Alessandro Matri)
Fiorentina lead and that comes just as they got on top of the ball. Matri takes down a pass superbly with one touch, before firing it into the bottom corner with his other. Great movement.
GOAL! Esbjerg 1-1 Fiorentina (Pusic)
What a start to this game! A cross comes in deep, which Roncaglia can only get a slight touch on. It falls to Pusic, who keeps his balance and fires in low. Amazing first 10 minutes here.
The hosts are a real threat down the right-hand side. Fiorentina have looked a little shaky at the back and Esbjerg have dealt better with the tricky conditions so far.
GOAL! Esbjerg 1-2 Fiorentina (Ilicic)
Unbelievable! All crosses into the box are causing trouble right now, and with a similar goal to the one at the other end Ilicic has restored Fiorentina's lead. He finished low into the opposite corner and we still can't catch our breath.
Can Fiorentina hold this lead for longer? They are comfortably the better team at the moment and judging by how easily they conceded Montella won't feel comfortable just yet.
Finally the pace of the game has slowed down somewhat. Esbjerg are trying to keep their shape when not in the ball but at the moment are struggling to track the movement up front of the Italian side. Valero is finding a lot of space.
Shot there from Matos, as he found space on the left side of the box. You can see what he was trying to do - clip it into the far corner - but he only managed to plop it low into the arms of Dubravka.
Ilicic is playing very well. He's dropping off the front line into space and the hosts are struggling to track him. He tries to clip towards Matri, but it's over the striker's head and out.
CHANCE! What a brilliant cross that is from the corner of the box by Lekven. It deflects off a Fiorentina player and goes behind for a corner.
CLOSE! The hosts have come back into this game and are a few inches away from being level. Neto fails to deal with a corner and it eventually comes to P. Ankersen, whose shot is deflected narrowly wide of the post. They're playing really well, Esbjerg.
PENALTY TO FIORENTINA!
GOAL! Esbjerg 1-3 Fiorentina (Alberto Aquilani)
Esbjerg think that the foul by Drobo is outside the box, but it really could have gone either way as he brought Matos down. Really he deserves to concede the penalty because it was a poor attempt to win the ball. Aquilani steps up to surely give Fiorentina the win here tonight already.
Can Esbjerg get themselves back into this? Their response to the first goal was immediate, but you feel at 3-1 down that the momentum is not with them.
Fiorentina should be able to see out this half, as they zip the ball around with ease. Valero has been everywhere in this half.
HALF-TIME: Esbjerg 1-3 Fiorentina
That was a thoroughly entertaining half of football in which both teams have played their part. Fiorentina deserve their lead as, apart from the opening five or so minutes, they have been better in every area.
Take nothing away from Esbjerg so far, though. They could have had two or three themselves as they have played the conditions very well. They've put in plenty of crosses and attempted some low, skidding shots, but so far the edgy away defence has just about stood up.
Valero has probably been the best player on the pitch so far. Not only has he got forward to support the attackers but he has so often been the man to begin the attacks from deep. Players like him make a huge difference in European ties.
The players are coming back out then. Not sure of any changes as yet, but will let you know if there are. I don't see any...
I was wrong... Jeppe Andersen on for Lyng at the break as we get back underway.
Terrible defending there from Pasqual, who for some reason left the ball for the new man Ankersen to gather. He backheels to his twin but the cross is just too long for Pusic, though, and Fiorentina survive.
No chances as yet in this half, although the hosts have started it well and are seeing more of the ball. It's just like the start of the first 45 here and we know how that ended. The next goal is very important in the match and the tie as a whole.
FIORENTINA SUB: Matri's work is pretty much done, so off he comes with Gomez making his way on. He's a different kind of threat entirely.
CHANCE! Instant impact there from Gomez, who drove to the edge of the box and shot. It had power, but was comfortable enough Dubravka who parried away before Gomez put his own rebound wide.
SAVE! Really good effort there from the left foot of Knudsen. It's heading for the far top corner but Neto is across well to tip it wide. Good goalkeeping there.
FIORENTINA SUB: Chilean Fernandez makes way for Bakic. The former has not had one of his better games today.
Pasqual gets forward and is in the area on the edge of the box where he can either shoot or cross. In the end his effort is neither and the ball goes low straight to Dubravka in the home goal.
Esbjerg are seeing a lot of the ball at the moment and Fiorentina are being forced back a little bit. The hosts' passing in the final third is just letting them down a little at the moment - they're on top in midfield currently.
ESBJERG SUB: Attacking change here for the hosts as Lekven makes way for Rasmussen. Fiorentina are playing a bit too direct at the moment and can't hang on to the ball.
Esbjerg have had a lot of corners tonight but have failed to threaten with most of them, which is a shame. The latest one comes in from Ankersen but goes straight into the arms of Neto, who gathers with ease.
FIORENTINA SUB: Aquilani comes off for his deserved rest. David Pizarro is on for him for the final 15 minutes in order to win back that midfield battle.
MISS! Valero should score there! Initially it's a brilliant run from Matos, who collected the ball and made his way almost to the box. He played in Ilicic, whose shot is saved before Valero slashes the rebound over with only the keeper to beat.
Martin Bergvold is awaiting to come on, but his side have a free kick first. It's woeful and easily cleared by the visitors.
ESBJERG SUB: Bergvold now does get his chance to take the field. It's the captain Andreasen - who looks knackered - who makes way for the side second-bottom in the Danish league.
First lengthy spell of possession for a while here from Fiorentina. Gomez managed to find room for a cross, but Pasqual's header was low and straight at the keeper.
CHANCE! Huge chance for the home side there! It was woeful defending to allow the ball to drop to I believe Drobo, but his shot from a great spot was drilled at the legs of Neto, who was furious with his defence there. It was a really bad header from Roncaglia to give it straight to the home side.
There will be three minutes of time to be added on. Pizarro tried to meet a Valero free kick but it's headed behind for a corner. Fiorentina should see it out from here.
Matos has played well and he wants a goal. He rises to chest down a ball forward, before bobbling an effort wide from around 20 yards out. I don't think he'll get his goal.
FULL-TIME: Esbjerg 1-3 Fiorentina
So it's Fiorentina who take what could be an insurmountable lead back to Italy. They will play in Florence for the return leg in a week's time, but it's so far, so good for Fiorentina.
Thanks for joining me for this one. We have more commentaries for the 8.05pm kickoffs to come, so please stick with us for those. See you over there! Goodbye.
