Empoli vs Napoli Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Italian Serie A
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It has been a surprisingly impressive start to the season for Empoli with just one defeat in their opening seven matches of the campaign as they now face a Napoli side that begin the weekend sitting at the top-of-the-table.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 20th October, 2024 - UK – 11:30am / US ET – 6:30am / US PT – 3:30am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – discovery+ OR OneFootball / US – Paramount+
EMPOLI PREVIEW: SOLIDITY OF ZANETTI
After a poor season in which Empoli required three permanent managers to eventually push themselves away from the bottom three and the relegation places, the Florence-based club have suffered just one defeat in their opening seven matches.
The home team come into this one on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Lazio in their most recent outing a couple of weeks ago at Stadio Olimpico in a game in which they did take an early lead before losing late on to a Pedro winner.
NAPOLI PREVIEW: NAPOLI ON THE RUN
Antonio Conte whinged a lot over the summer but the Neapolitans eventually spent over £100 million after they had started their season with a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Hellas Verona at the Bentegodi.
The 2022/23 Serie A champions have recovered well, though, from that slow start by managing five victories and a draw in their six matches since then. They most recently eased past newly-promoted Como by three goals to one before the international break.
EMPOLI TEAM NEWS: A FEW ABSENTEES
There remains a couple of long-term absentees for Empoli ahead of this weekend as both Tyronne Ebuehi and Saba Sazonov are out injured, whilst Samuele Perisan and Szymon Zurkowski are both doubts, too.
PREDICTED XI (3-1-4-2): Devis Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti; Grassi; Gyasi, Pezzella, Anjorin, Fazzini; Esposito, Solbakken
UNAVAILABLE: Ebuehi (Injured), Sazonov (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Perisan (Injured), Zurkowski (Injured)
NAPOLI TEAM NEWS: A FEW ABSENTEES
Napoli’s first-choice goalkeeper, Alex Meret is unavailable for this trip to Florence, whilst Mathias Olivera is also sidelined through injury. Slovakia international midfielder Stanislav Lobotka also has an injury.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Caprile; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Gilmour; Politano, McTominay, Kvaratskhelia; Lukaku
UNAVAILABLE: Meret (Injured), Mathias Olivera (Injured), Lobotka (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
EMPOLI VS NAPOLI PREDICTION
Empoli have started the season very well and made themselves difficult to beat in the opening few weeks of this season with just one loss. Their gameplan is quite defensive and low-scoring with just ten goals coming in their seven matches so far this season. They now face a Napoli side that have become almost rampant since overcoming their summer troubles so even with Empoli’s obdurate style of football, a low-scoring Napoli win remains the likeliest outcome for this one in Florence.
EMPOLI VS NAPOLI TIP: NAPOLI TO WIN & UNDER 3.5 GOALS
