Struggling Empoli will be keen to upset Juventus in their Serie A clash on Sunday.
Italian giants Juventus travel to the Carlo Castellani Stadium on Sunday to take on a struggling Empoli side that looks set to battle relegation once again this season.
The Gli Azzurri have lost both of their opening games and are in the 19th spot in the Serie A standings at the end of Matchday two. Unless they can put up points on the board soon, it could turn out to be a disastrous third straight season in the top flight for Empoli.
While Empoli have struggled to keep clean sheets, they appear to have no problem in achieving shutouts upfront. They are one of just two sides in the Italian top flight to open their account for the season at least as far as goals scored are concerned.
Juventus, meanwhile, are eager to put the forgettable 2022/23 campaign behind them and have picked up four points from their first two games this season. Massimiliano Allegri’s men are some way off the early trendsetters but can close the gap if they secure all three points on the night.
Juventus hold a significant edge when it comes to their history against Empoli. Unless the home side can play out of their skin, it should prove to be another regulation result for the Bianconeri. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might implement.
Team News & Tactics
Empoli
⚽Cambiaghi ▶ Fazzini pic.twitter.com/e3LvksWdFz
— Empoli Football Club Official (@EmpoliFC) August 31, 2023
Paolo Zanetti will have his task cut out against Juventus and will see his side head into the game as massive underdogs. Unless they salvage at least a point from the game, Gli Azzurri could be left behind further as teams race to escape the bottom three.
Empoli will be without Daniel Maldini while first-XI regular Elia Caprile picked up a poor injury on the opening day. The home side have an otherwise fully-fit squad to choose from and are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Samuele Perisan should start in goal while the back four of Liberato Cacace, Sebastiano Luperto, Ardian Ismajli and Tyronne Ebuehi form the rearguard. They will be protected further upfield by the double pivot of Razvan Marin and Nicolas Haas.
The trio of Nicolo Cambiaghi, Tommaso Baldanzi and Matteo Cancellieri will aim to cause trouble;e to the Juventus backline and craft goalscoring opportunities for veteran striker Francesco Caputo.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Perisan; Ebuehi, Luperto, Ismajli, Cacace; Marin, Haas; Cambiaghi, Baldanzi, Cancellieri; Caputo
Juventus
The Turin giants kicked off their 2023/24 Serie A campaign with a convincing 3-0 win away from home against Udinese Calcio. However, a home draw against Bologna last weekend was a rude wake-up call. They cannot afford to drop any more points cheaply, lest it becomes too late for them to bridge the gap to the top.
It is a key season for the Bianconeri who struggled to make much of an impact last season. With just domestic commitments to look forward to, the aim should be at least to break back into a UEFA Champions League spot.
Massimiliano Allegri is likely to retain his 3-5-2 formation but will be without Wojciech Szczesny and Mattia De Sciglio, both of whom are out injured. However, Juventus have a solid backup goalkeeper in Mattia Perin and he will take the spot between the sticks on the night.
Fired 🆙🔥 pic.twitter.com/pdB7f6rd8F
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) August 31, 2023
He will be protected by the back three of Alex Sandro, Gleison Bremer and Danilo. The trio will be in charge of keeping the backline intact, freeing up Timothy Weah and Andrea Cambiaso the freedom to push forward. With Leandro Bonucci no more at the club, the onus to keep the backline intact should fall onto Bremer.
The midfield three is likely to consist of Adrien Rabiot, Manuel Locatelli and Nicolo Fagioli. Dusan Vlahovic appears to have rediscovered his mojo in front of the goal and should start up front alongside Euro 2020 hero Federico Chiesa.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Perin; Alex Sandro, Bremer, Danilo; Weah, Rabiot, Fagioli, Locatelli, Cambiaso; Vlahovic, Chiesa
Key Stats
- Empoli have won two of their last four Serie A games against Juventus.
- Juventus have defeated Empoli away from home in Serie A nine times so far. Only Inter Milan have done so more times (10).
- Only AC Milan and AS Roma have outscored Juventus while playing Empolia way from home in Serie A.
- A loss on the night will see Empoli lose their opening three games of a Serie A campaign for the first time since 2005/06.
- Another shutout on the night will see Empoli fail to find the back of the net for four league games in a row for the first time since 2016.
Player to Watch
Dusan Vlahovic
🇷🇸💥 Dušan Vlahović firing for Juventus in training! 3 G+A in 2 Serie A games this season. pic.twitter.com/uCiMKtlZcz
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) August 31, 2023
The Serb struggled to impress last season but has gotten off to a bright start this time around. Having found the back of the net in their first two games of the campaign, the Juventus star will be keen to keep that purple patch going.
Having formed a solid partnership alongside Chiesa, Vlahovic is a dangerous player who can make Empoli pay on the night. An early goal could open the floodgates and hand the Serbian marksman an early advantage in the race for the Serie A Golden Boot.
Prediction
Empoli 0-2 Juventus
Empoli are struggling at both ends of the pitch and little should change against Juventus. The visitors are the heavy favourites on paper and have both momentum and strength and depth going into the game. As long as they don’t shoot themselves in the foot, Massimiliano Allegri and co. should come away with all three points from Empoli.
