Empoli vs Roma Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Italian Serie A
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This one has a lot riding on it at both ends of the table with Empoli looking to secure safety and their visitors Roma aiming for a top six finish and potential UEFA Champions League qualification.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 26th May, 2024 – UK – 19:45 / US EST – 14:45 / US PST – 12:45
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: This match will be televised live on TNT Sports in the UK. / This match will be televised live on CBS in the US.
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: This match will be streamed live via the TNT Sports app in the UK. / This match will be streamed live via Paramount+ in the US.
EMPOLI PREVIEW: FITTINGLY FROM THE RENAISSANCE CITY
Empoli were dead and buried in mid-January but the Florence-based club took the decision to dispense of Aurelio Andreazzoli, who had replaced the underperforming Paolo Zanetti earlier in the season, and broke glass to bring in the ‘miracle worker’ Davide Nicola, looking to achieve another ‘great escape’ after doing the same at both Crotone and Salernitana.
Things started well before quickly drifting and that drift means they head into the final day of the season sitting in the bottom three and the relegation places. The home team come into this one on the back of a frustrating 1-1 draw away to Udinese in which they took the lead in the 90th minute before conceding an equaliser in the 14th minute of stoppage-time.
ROMA PREVIEW: STEADY THE SHIP
Avoid embarrassment and Roma should be in the UEFA Champions League next season. As a result of Atalanta being UEFA Europa League winners, if the Bergamasci finish fifth then Roma will qualify for the UEFA Champions League in sixth place. The Giallorossi, though, have endured an extremely difficult run of form.
It will take something truly humiliating for Roma to finish below Derby della Capitale rivals Lazio with a ten-goal swing required but their form, and the form of Lazio, means it is not impossible. They did, though, earn some respite last weekend when they edged past Genoa with Leandro Paredes’ red card being followed by a late Romelu Lukaku winner.
EMPOLI TEAM NEWS: GRASSI OUT SUSPENDED
Davide Nicola has been reticent to make many changes throughout his tenure at Empoli but he will be forced into one change in midfield with Alberto Grassi missing through suspension. Alberto Cerri and Gabriele Guarino both also remain injury doubts for the hosts.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Caprile; Bereszynski, Ismajli, Luperto; Gyasi, Bastoni, Zurkowski, Maleh, Pezzella; Niang, Cancellieri
UNAVAILABLE: Grassi (Suspended)
QUESTIONABLE: Cerri (Injured), Guarino (Injured)
ROMA TEAM NEWS: KEY MEN OUT SUSPENDED
The aforementioned red card to Argentinian international midfielder Leandro Paredes means that he will be out suspended for this weekend alongside key striker Romelu Lukaku, whilst another key first-teamer, Leonardo Spinazzola, remains out injured.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Svilar; Celik, Diego Llorente, Ndicka, Tasende; Bove, Cristante; Baldanzi, Dybala, El Shaarawy; Azmoun
UNAVAILABLE: Paredes (Suspended), Lukaku (Suspended), Spinazzola (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
EMPOLI VS ROMA PREDICTION
Empoli must win. If they win then they will survive because the two teams that they will leapfrog, Frosinone and Udinese, face each other so at least one of them will drop points, obviously. The home team built their improvement on a strong defensive record and they now face a Roma side that will be more than happy to settle for a point with Daniele De Rossi keen to not risk anything. As a result, it is expected to be a tense and nervy encounter.
EMPOLI VS ROMA TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
