Empoli vs Juventus Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Italian Serie A
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Perennial strugglers Empoli, who required the miracles that Davide Nicola can provide last season, have started steadily this season as they now welcome a new look and impressive Juventus side to Florence this weekend.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 14th September, 2024 - UK – 5:00pm / US ET – 12:00pm / US PT – 9:00am
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: POSITIVES TO BUILD ON
Empoli narrowly avoided the drop on the final day of the season last year with Davide Nicola at the helm. Empoli lost Nicola over the summer to Cagliari as he opted to replace Claudio Ranieri in Sardinia. They have, though, now under the management of former Benevento and Lecce coach Roberto D’Aversa, began the season quite well.
The home team started the season with a goalless draw at home to quite a dull and frustrating Monza side before pulling off a historic and famous victory at the Stadio Olimpico, defeating Roma by two goals to one. That was followed up with an impressive 1-1 draw against Bologna before the September international break.
JUVENTUS PREVIEW: POSITIVES TO KICK ON
Last season, Thiago Motta took Bologna to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 60 years with a fifth placed finish before departing for the J Stadium in the summer. Juventus are embarking upon a new era with a much younger and fresher squad full of new talent and the Old Lady have begun the season very well.
The Bianconeri began the campaign with an impressive 3-0 hammering of newly-promoted Como on the opening weekend before following that up with a 3-0 defeat of Hellas Verona a week later. They were then, though, frustrated by Roma in their most recent outing with a goalless draw against the out of form Giallorossi.
EMPOLI TEAM NEWS: POTENTIAL DEBUTANTS
There are some key issues for Empoli this weekend as long-term absentee Tyronne Ebuehi remains unavailable with Szymon Zurkowski also still a doubt for the hosts.
In terms of potential debutants, though, duo Pietro Pellegri and Saba Sazonov both arrived on loan from Torino with Sebastian Walukiewicz departing for Turin.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Devis Vasquez; Goglichdze, Ismajli, Viti; Gyasi, Grassi, Henderson, Pezzella; Solbakken, Fazzini; Colombo
UNAVAILABLE: Ebuehi (Injured), Perisan (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Fazzini (Injured), Zurkowski (Injured)
JUVENTUS TEAM NEWS: FRUSTRATION FOR FRANCISCO
After joining on loan from Porto just before the end of the transfer window, Francisco Conceicao is unavailable for Juventus for this weekend.
However, fellow winger and also a new signing that joined late in the summer, Nicolo Gonzalez, is expected to be available after scoring for Argentina against Colombia the other day.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Gatti, Bremer, Juan Cabal; Locatelli, Fagioli; Gonzalez, Yildiz, Mbangula; Vlahovic
UNAVAILABLE: Conceicao (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Miretti (Injured), Thuram (Injured), Weah (Injured), Milik (Injured)
EMPOLI VS JUVENTUS PREDICTION
Empoli have a coach in Roberto D’Aversa who is a disciple of Roberto De Zerbi so will be expected to develop into what would be quite an attacking side, albeit that didn’t happen at any stage with Lecce last year. That does mean, though, the door is quite open for Thiago Motta’s Juventus to play through and they have been excellent, as well as having three clean sheets thus far, so another comfortable Juve win seems quite likely.
EMPOLI VS JUVENTUS TIP: JUVENTUS TO WIN -1 HANDICAP
