Empoli and Atalanta will be eager to return to winning ways when they face off at Stadio Carlo Castellani on Sunday.
Matchday 26 of the 2024/25 Serie A season continues on Sunday, which will feature four games. The action on the day starts with the match between Como 1907 and Napoli, while Empoli vs Atalanta at Stadio Carlo Castellani will be the third tie before it ends with the fixture between Cagliari and Juventus.
Empoli came into the 2024/25 season after narrowly avoiding relegation last term. The ongoing campaign has been more of the same for the Azzurri, as they are 17th in the Serie A standings, only a point ahead of 18th-placed Parma. Things have gone from bad to worse in the last few weeks, as Roberto D’Aversa’s men have failed to win their last ten league games, falling from 10th to 17th on the table.
On the other hand, Atalanta’s 2024/25 campaign is threatening to spiral. A few weeks ago, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men were on top of the Serie A table while being in the top eight of the UEFA Champions League. However, things have gone from bad to worse since La Dea lost to Inter Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final. Since then, they have dropped to third in Serie A and bowed out of the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League.
The reverse fixture saw Atalanta come from a goal down to beat Empoli 3-2, with Ademola Lookman scoring the match-winning goal. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Empoli
Roberto D’Aversa has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Empoli manager might be bereft of the services of as many as ten first-team players vs Atalanta on Sunday.
The backline has an injury crisis, with Saba Sazonov and Tyronne Ebuehi being long-term absentees. Mattia Viti and Ardian Ismajli may miss out, while Luca Marianucci continues serving his suspension. In addition, Ola Solbakken, Pietro Pellegri, Nicolas Haas, Tino Anjorin, and Jacopo Fazzini remain on the sidelines.
Devis Vasquez should take his spot between the sticks, with Empoli lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him vs Atalanta on Sunday. The central defensive unit will likely feature Mattia De Sciglio, Saba Goglichidze, and Giuseppe Pezzella. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Gyasi and Liberato Cacace will start as the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and support the centre-backs during the defensive phases. As for the midfield unit, captain Alberto Grassi will hold the fort in the middle of the park, with Liam Henderson and Youssef Maleh providing the forward thrust from the central areas. Finally, Sebastiano Esposito and Lorenzo Colombo will be the two strikers for the home side.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Vasquez; De Sciglio, Goglichidze, Pezzella; Gyasi, Henderson, Grassi, Maleh, Cacace; Esposito, Colombo
Atalanta
Like his counterpart in the Empoli dugout, Gian Piero Gasperini has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to Stadio Carlo Castellani. The Atalanta manager will be without five first-team players on Sunday.
Odilon Kossounou, Giorgio Scalvini, and Gianluca Scamcca are long-term absentees, while Isak Hien remains on the sidelines due to a muscular injury. Meanwhile, Daniel Maldini might not be fit and ready to take on Empoli. However, the talking point ahead of the game will be whether Gasperini picks Ademola Lookman after the manager’s recent comments on the Nigerian international.
Marco Carnesecchi will be the automatic pick between the sticks, with Atalanta lining up in a 3-4-1-2 formation in front of him vs Empoli on Sunday. The central defensive unit should feature Stefan Posch, Berat Djimsiti, and Sead Kolasinac.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Marten De Roon and Ederson in the central areas, while Raoul Bellanova and Davide Zappacosta will be the two wing-backs. Finally, Mateo Retegui, Charles De Ketelaere, and Lazar Samardzic should complete the numbers in the offensive trifecta. So, Lookman will likely miss out on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Carnesecchi; Posch, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; Samardzic; De Ketelaere, Retegui
Key Stats
- Empoli and Atalanta have previously faced off 33 times. The Blues have won six games, while the visitors have won 15 times (D12).
- Atalanta have won their last five games vs Empoli.
- Empoli are without a clean sheet in their five most recent games in this fixture.
- Atalanta are the second-highest-scoring side in Serie A this season, finding the back of the net 54 times.
- Empoli have picked up eight points on home turf in the Serie A this season. Only Monza (7) have managed fewer.
Player to Watch
Mateo Retegui
Charles De Ketelaere and Lorenzo Colombo were viable candidates for this section, but we have picked Mateo Retegui as our Player to Watch for Saturday’s game between Empoli and Atalanta, considering his impeccable form.
The Italian international leads the scoring charts in Serie A this season, with nearest challenger Moise Kean having five fewer goals than him. Meanwhile, Retegui’s exploits have captured the attention of several Premier League bigwigs, and he will hope to continue his fine run, especially with Gian Piero Gasperini’s recent bust-up with Ademola Lookman threatening to reduce La Dea’s offensive quality.
Prediction
Empoli 1-2 Atalanta
Atalanta might have blown hot and cold while struggling for wins in the last few weeks, but they face one of the worst teams in Serie A on form this weekend. Empoli’s issues are much worse than the away side’s, with points coming at a premium for the Blues in Serie A.
While the home side will give the visitors a run for their money, they will unlikely have the quality or momentum to trouble them throughout the game. The Hard Tackle predicts a narrow victory for the away side, with Gian Piero Gasperini and his charges clinching a morale-boosting 2-1 win.
