Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Serie A clash between Empoli and Frosinone, including predictions, team news and possible line-ups.
Empoli seek a third consecutive Serie A victory at the Stadio Carlo Castellani by hosting Frosinone during Game Week 35 on Sunday.
Davide Nicola‘s men may have drawn blanks for the fourth away league game in a row, but generally relied on their home form, which will be tested in this weekend’s six-point relegation clash. end.
Match Preview
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Empoli are two points clear of the relegation zone ahead of Sunday’s game at the Castellani, keen to create some separation from third-placed Udinese with four games remaining.
The success puts Nicola’s men ahead of this weekend’s visitors and perhaps 14th-placed Hellas Verona and Cagliari. Only one point separates these four teams, and Udinese are two behind the Azzurri heading into this matchweek, underscoring the compactness of the relegation battle.
Sunday’s victory will be Empoli’s third in a row at home following league triumphs against Torino (3-2) and Napoli (1-0), which could make it three consecutive home wins since the end of the season. last season, when the Blues won three of their last four matches at the Castellani.
They hope to capitalize on the visitors’ lack of away wins in 2023-24, but must end Frosinone’s current unbeaten run in the top flight to secure maximum points.
With Nicola’s post-appointment mission to avoid relegation, success against another struggling rival will be what the doctor ordered.
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Frosinone supplanted Empoli following last weekend’s victory over relegated Salernitana, with a 3-0 victory putting them above the Azzurri despite being tied on 31 points.
The Canaries’ 2-1 victory in the second leg means avoiding defeat on Sunday gives them the head-to-head advantage, and Eusebio DiFrancescoThe men will undoubtedly hope to take at least a point in Florence.
The club’s inability to secure maximum points from their away games (six draws and 11 defeats) undermined their battle for survival.
However, three consecutive away draws – 1-1 at Genoa, 2-2 against Napoli and a goalless match with Torino – improved the previous streak by one point in 12 away matches.
Leaving him this late in the campaign to score three points on the road will excite traveling supporters, who will be hoping to avoid immediate relegation to Serie B after last season’s positive finish.
Facing an Empoli side who have the fewest home goals of any club in the elite (13), the Canaries will be hoping to end the wait for an away win since beating Fiorentina (1-0) in April 2019.
Empoli Serie A form:
Frosinone Serie A form:
Team News
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Alberto Cerri (muscle), Tyronne Ebuehi (knee), Sébastien Walukiewicz (thigh) and Ardian Ismajli (hamstring) is not expected to play Sunday due to injury concerns.
M’Baye Niang is expected to make his 300th appearance for a club in Europe’s big five leagues this weekend, and the Senegalese’s goal ratio, who scores every 137 minutes for Empoli, is his best among the 10 clubs he has represented.
Elie Caprile should be busy in goal for the Azzurri again, with the trusted goalkeeper to add to his 57 saves (the most in Serie A) this weekend.
Stefano Turati was sent off against Salernitana last weekend, hinting at a departure for Michele Cerofolini between the sticks. Pol Lirola is doubtful, while Abdou Harroui (thigh), Sergio Kalaj (ligament), Anthony Oyono (ankle) and Mateus Lusuardi (unknown) are all excluded.
Nadir Zortea has been involved in six goals since arriving at Frosinone on loan from Atalanta BC, scoring for the first time last week, and the full-back is looking to add to his six direct involvements for the Canaries.
Only Jude Bellingham (17 goals) dominated Matias Soulé (11) among the players born from 2003 in the five major European championships, and the youngster aims to win at Castellani.
Empoli possible starting composition:
Caprile; Bereszynski, Cacace, Luperto; Gyasi, Grassi, Fazzini, Pezzella; Zurkowski, Cambiaghi; Niang
Frosinone possible starting composition:
Cerofolini; Okoli, Romagnoli, Bonifazi; Zortea, Barrenechea, Mazzitelli, Valeri; Brescianini; Soulé, Cheddira
We say: Empoli 1-1 Frosinone
Frosinone continues its longest unbeaten run in Serie A, and they could achieve it against an Empoli side who have lost three of their last five meetings with the Canaries, including the reverse fixture.
However, Empoli’s current unbeaten run at the Castellani is set to continue on Sunday, even if maximum points may not be achieved.
For data analysis of most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match, please click here.
