Empoli vs Udinese Preview: Team News & Prediction
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
After a long, hard relegation battle in Serie A last season, Empoli have since propelled themselves into the middle-of-the-table, whilst Udinese decline away from the upper echelons of the table towards the middle with Empoli.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 24th November, 2024: UK – 5:30pm / US ET – 12:30pm / US PT – 9:30am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
How to watch online: UK – OneFootball / US – Paramount+
Empoli Preview: Mid-table Empoli
On the final day of last season, Davide Nicola’s Empoli managed to survive before he was sacked after both Paolo Zanetti and Aurelio Andreazzoli were sacked during the 2023/24 season. Former Benevento coach Roberto D’Aversa was appointed as the manager of the Florence-based club as they sit tucked inside the top-half ahead of this weekend’s round of fixtures.
Empoli come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw away to Lecce in their most recent outing a couple of weeks ago, taking the lead in that game with a 33rd minute strike from Pietro Pellegri before Simone Pierotti equalised for Lecce in the 77th minute. That means they have now suffered just one defeat in their last four matches.
Udinese Preview: Refocused Udinese
After avoiding the drop on the final day of last season, the Pozzo family appear to have turned their focus away from Watford and back on Udinese to ensure it is never that close again. The Friulians appointed former Legia Warsaw boss Kosta Runjaic and they started the season very well but have since drifted.
The northeastern club were beaten 2-1 by Atalanta in Bergamo a couple of weeks ago after they had taken the lead at the Gewiss Stadium. That loss followed on from defeats to Juventus and Venezia and now means they have drifted into the middle-of-the-table but they have been entertaining with 33 goals coming in their 12 games so far this season.
Empoli Team News: Several injuries
Tyronne Ebuehi has been out injured throughout this season and summer signing Saba Sazonov is also sidelined alongside the likes of Jacopo Fazzini and Szymon Zurkowski.
As well as that quartet of definite absentees, Empoli also have some key doubts as former Chelsea man Tino Anjorin is doubtful alongside Alberto Grassi and Sebastiano Esposito.
Predicted XI (3-1-4-2): Devis Vasquez; Goglichdze, Ismajli, Viti; Haas; Gyasi, Henderson, Maleh, Cacace; Colombo, Pellegri
Unavailable: Ebuehi (Injured), Sazonov (Injured), Fazzini (Injured), Zurkowski (Injured)
Questionable: Grassi (Injured), Anjorin (Injured), Esposito (Injured)
Udinese Team News: Kristensen and Alexis doubts
Udinese have no definite or fresh injury issues for this weekend’s trip to Florence so the Friulians would be able to name an unchanged eleven for this weekend.
Thomas Kristensen has been a long-term absentee but he is nearing a return to full fitness alongside Alexis Sanchez, who rejoined the club over the summer.
Predicted XI (3-5-1-1): Okoye; Giannetti, Bijol, Toure; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Payero, Kamara; Iker Bravo; Lucca
Unavailable:
Questionable: Kristensen (Injured), Sanchez (Injured)
Empoli vs Udinese Prediction
In their 12 matches so far this season, Empoli have managed to score just nine goals. Roberto D’Aversa is a disciple of Roberto De Zerbi but his sides, as was the case with Lecce last year, have a lot more control – perhaps too much control. They face an Udinese side that had been overperforming the underlying data and now their results are falling more into line with performances so the expectation is this is a lacklustre affair in Florence.
Empoli vs Udinese Tip: Under 2.5 goals
