Empoli vs Inter Milan Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Italian Serie A
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It has been a surprisingly bright and impressive start to the campaign for Empoli but they have endured a trickier run of late as they now welcome defending champions Internazionale to Florence this midweek.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Wednesday 30th October, 2024 - UK – 5:30pm / US ET – 1:30pm / US PT – 10:30am
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: FLOURISHING IN FLORENCE
Last season, Empoli parted company with both Aurelio Andreazzoli and Paolo Zanetti before Serie A miracle worker Davide Nicola steered them away from the bottom three and the relegation places. The Florence-based club have been much-improved this season following the appointment of Roberto D’Aversa.
The home team come into this one on the back of a four-match winless run of form after a bright start to the campaign. However, they come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw against Parma at the Ennio Tardini which saw Parma equalise in the 80th minute of that match via Gabriel Charpentier.
INTER MILAN PREVIEW: LACK OF ‘SOMETHING’ AT INTER
Internazionale won the league at a canter last season, ensuring the second star upon the Nerazzurri badge with their 20th Scudetto. Former Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi has created a precise and incisive side that are currently sitting second in Serie A ahead of this weekend’s round of fixtures with one defeat in their opening nine matches.
Inter have stumbled around at the start of this season and a three-match winning streak was ended by a 4-4 draw against Juventus at San Siro at the weekend. Inter went 1-0 up in that before going 2-1 down. They then went 4-2 up before conceding two second-half goals and being forced to share the spoils with the Bianconeri.
EMPOLI TEAM NEWS: SEVERAL ISSUES
There are no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues for Empoli to deal with ahead of this weekend’s clash so they will be able to name an unchanged eleven for this one.
The hosts do have a couple of absentees, though, as both Tyronne Ebuehi and Saba Sazonov are unavailable with Samuele Perisan and Sebastiano Esposito both doubts.
PREDICTED XI (3-1-4-2): Devis Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti; Grassi; Gyasi, Fazzini, Anjorin, Pezzella; Colombo, Solbakken
UNAVAILABLE: Sazonov (Injured), Ebuehi (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Perisan (Injured), Esposito (Injured)
INTER MILAN TEAM NEWS: KEY ABSENTEES
Simone Inzaghi and his players, led by captain Hakan Calhanoglu have been complaining of fatigue of late so rotation is to be expected for this midweek clash.
The aforementioned Calhanoglu is unavailable for this one due to a hamstring injury alongside both Francesco Acerbi and Carlos Augusto with hamstring injuries.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Asllani, Zielinski, Buchanan; Thuram, Lautaro Martinez
UNAVAILABLE: Acerbi (Injured), Carlos Augusto (Injured), Calhanoglu (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
EMPOLI VS INTER MILAN PREDICTION
Empoli will seek to control Inter. Antonio Conte made the point that Napoli’s win in Florence around ten days ago was more impressive than people appreciated because of how strong Empoli had been at home, yet to concede before that 1-0 defeat. Inter will have to go into grind-it-out mode and that means we are expecting a low-scoring encounter, albeit the Nerazzurri remain the favourites for it.
EMPOLI VS INTER MILAN TIP: INTER TO WIN & UNDER 3.5 GOALS
