Empoli vs Lecce Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Empoli are sitting firmly in the middle-of-the-table ahead of this weekend as they take on a Lecce side that have slipped into the bottom three and the relegation places.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 11th January, 2025: UK – 2:00pm / US ET – 9:00am / US PT – 6:00am
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: The D’Aversa slip
Over the summer, former Benevento and Lecce boss Roberto D’Aversa was appointed as Empoli boss and a mid-table position after avoiding relegation on the final day of last season is a strong few months but they have drifted down towards the middle-of-the-table.
The home team come into this one on the back of ending their three-match losing streak by sharing a 1-1 draw in Venice against Venezia last weekend with Sebastiano Esposito’s 32nd minute strike cancelling out Joel Pohjanpalo’s early goal.
Lecce Preview: Luca’s Lecce in trouble
Luca Gotti has his Lecce side struggling down towards the bottom-of-the-table and they slipped into the bottom three and the relegation places last weekend ahead of this match day, despite avoiding a defeat against Genoa last weekend.
The Apulia-based club shared a goalless draw with Genoa last week and that saw them leapfrogged by Cagliari in the Serie A table. The visitors have now managed just one victory in their last six matches in the Italian top-flight.
Empoli Team News: A few issues
Empoli are dealing with a few injury concerns ahead of the visit of Lecce. Former Roma attacker Ola Solbakken remains sidelined alongside former Monaco striker Pietro Pellegri, whilst the likes of Giuseppe Pezzella and Szymon Zurkowski both injury doubts.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Devis Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti; Gyasi, Grassi, Maleh, Pezzella; Anjorin; Colombo, Esposito
Unavailable: Ebuehi (Injured), Sazonov (Injured), Haas (Injured), Solbakken (Injured), Pellegri (Injured)
Questionable: Pezzella (Injured), Fazzini (Injured), Zurkowski (Injured)
Lecce Team News: A few issues
Lecce are dealing with several injury issues ahead of the trip to Florence this weekend with defenders Kialonda Gaspar and Andy Pelmard both sidelined alongside Joan Gonzalez, whilst Hamza Rafia and Lameck Banda are both injury doubts.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Falcone; Guilbert, Baschirotto, Jean, Gallo; Karlsson, Coulibaly, Pierret; Dorgu, Krstovic, Tete Morente
Unavailable: Gaspar (Injured), Pelmard (Injured), Joan Gonzalez (Injured)
Questionable: Berisha (Injured), Rafia (Injured), Banda (Injured)
Empoli vs Lecce Prediction
Roberto D’Aversa, a disciple of Roberto De Zerbi, unusually struggles to get his teams to score goals with frequency. They do play a reasonably easy on the eye but quite blunt style of football. They now face a Lecce side that have managed to score just 11 goals in their 19 games so far this season. Empoli have managed 18 in 19 and, even with their home advantage, a low-scoring affair seems the best bet for this one in Florence.
Empoli vs Lecce Tip: Under 2.5 goals
