Empoli FC vs SS Lazio Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

Lazio can secure second spot in Serie A should they win away to Empoli on the final day of the season.

Lazio go into the final day knowing full well that only a win away to Empoli will guarantee them the second spot in the Serie A this season.

Maurizio Sarri’s side are all set to return to the UEFA Champions League. And a run of inconsistent form over the last few weeks has masked what has been an otherwise promising campaign. They will, however, need to secure all three points on the final day to be assured of the runners-up spot.

Inter Milan have their eyes on the Champions League final but could pip Lazio to the second spot should they win and Lazio fail to do so. Empoli, meanwhile, have little to play for and are set for a mid-table finish. It is fair to assume they should not present much of a challenge to Sarri and co., at least on paper.

A win will take Lazio to 74 points, their second-best performance over the course of a top-flight campaign. With AS Roma having fallen short in the Europa League final, Sarri can take pride in the fact that they will be the capital city’s lone Champions League representatives next season.

Empoli can finish as high as 13 should they win and other results also go their way. But with top-flight status secured for another season, they run the risk of taking their foot off the gas. Of the two, Lazio have more to play for and that should reflect in their urgency. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.

Team News & Tactics

Empoli FC

Paolo Zanetti’s men have secured Serie A football for a third consecutive season and can pat themselves on the back for a job well done. A return upsurge in form has aided in their efforts to stave off relegation and Empoli will be keen to end the campaign with a bang.

Lazio have shown themselves to be inconsistent in recent weeks and could struggle if put under pressure. Whether the home side is capable of it remains to be seen.

Star striker Francesco Caputo is likely to settle for a spot on the bench having recovered from his recent illness. However, the trio of Koni De Winter, Razvan Marin, and Tyronne Ebuehi are all out injured and will not feature on the night. Another player who will miss out is Tommaso Baldanzi, who is currently away with the Italian Under-20 side.

It is not all bad news as Filippo Bandinelli and Fabiano Parisi have both returned from suspension and are in contention for the game. The home side are expected to line up in a 4-3-1-2 formation on the night. Zanetti will hope that his side can channel the same belief they had ahead of thrashing Juventus 4-1 last month in their most recent home game.

Guglielmo Vicario should start in goal behind the back four of Petar Stojanovic, Ardian Ismajli, Sebastiano Luperto, and Parisi. The trio of Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, Bandinelli, and Alberto Grassi should form the midfield triad, hoping to keep their Lazio counterparts quiet.

Jacopo Fazzini should reiterate his number ten role, with Roberto Piccoli and Nicolo Cambiaghi playing upfront.

Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Vicario; Stojanovic, Ismajli, Luperto, Parisi; Akpa Akpro, Bandinelli, Grassi; Fazzini; Piccoli, Cambiaghi

SS Lazio

A late surge spared Lazio their blushes against Cremonese last weekend, and they cannot afford to shoot themselves in the foot again this weekend. The last time Maurizio Sarri and his men lined up away from home, they thrashed Juventus in Turin and will hope for a similar outcome on the night.

Daniele Cataldi is back available, but it remains to be seen if he will unseat Matia Vecino from the playing XI. Sarri has a fully fit squad at his disposal bar Adam Marusic.

The Italian boss is likely to retain faith in his free-flowing 4-3-3 formation with the strongest XI more or less picking itself. Ivan Provedel should start in goal, backed up by the quartet consisting of Manuel Lazzari, Nicolo Casale, Alessio Romagnoli, and Elseid Hysaj. 

Matias Vecino is likely to be deployed in central midfield with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto providing support in playing the ball forward. These two will be crucial in progressing the ball and creating chances for Lazio’s forwards.

Veteran striker Ciro Immobile should lead the line with the charge, flanked by Felipe Anderson and Mattia Zaccagni. The trio will be keen to end the campaign with a bang.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Provedel; Lazzari, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Milinkovic-Savic, Vecino, Alberto; Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni

Key Stats

• Lazio are unbeaten in their last eight Serie A games against Empoli.
• A draw on Sunday will see Lazio and Empoli draw three Serie A games in a row for the first time ever.
• A win on the night will see Empoli equal their second-best-ever tally of Serie A points. They last achieved 46 points all the way back in 2015/16.
• Empoli could make it four wins in a row at home if they beat Lazio on the night. They have done better only on two earlier occasions.
• Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is the midfielder who has been directly involved in the most goals in Serie A this season (17, nine goals and eight assists) and has also had a hand in at least as many goals in 2021/22 (22) and 2020/21 (17); the Serb could become only the 2nd Lazio midfielder to score at least ten goals in three different Serie A seasons, after Antonio Candreva (from 2013/14 to 2015/16).

Player to Watch

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

The Serb saved Lazio’s blushes against Cremonese last weekend and could very well be set for his swansong at the club this Saturday. The midfielder continues to be linked with a summer exit and is yet to pen a new deal in Rome.

His current deal at Lazio expires in the summer of 2024 and the club would loathe to see him leave on a free. The game on Saturday gives Milinkovic-Savic a final chance to impress his suitors. Linking up well on the right, he will drive forward on every given opportunity and should cause regular problems for Empoli. After all, he has 17 goal involvements this season in Serie A, more than any other midfielder in the league.

Prediction

Empoli FC 1-2 SS Lazio

Lazio have had the best defensive unit for the majority of the season but that record has gone to hell over the past few weeks. Empoli are likely to take advantage of it and should experience some joy. However, given that the second spot is at stake, Lazio’s upper hand in quality should swing the tie in their favour.