Verdict: Lazio win
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Empoli will try to get out of the relegation zone with a win against Lazio. The match will be played at the Carlo Castellani Stadium, with the local fans supporting their favourites to get 3 points at the end of the 90 minutes.
Empoli
Although they are in a relegation position, the home side can leave the red zone of the table if they manage to get all 3 points in the game. Aurelio Andreazzoli will have to resuscitate his players who had disappointing performances lately, failing to win in the last 4 rounds. With only 10 goals scored in the first 16 rounds, Empoli have the weakest attack in Serie A. Last stage s narrow defeat away to Turin (1-0) ended a mini-streak of 2 games of invincibility. The hosts have also shown weakness defensively, conceding no less than 28 goals this season. Andrea Andreazzoli took over the team in mid-September, but his return did not have the expected impact the board of directors where looking for. Under his command, Empoli has a record of 3 wins, 3 draws, and 6 losses.
Receiving the visit of a free-fall Lazio, Empoli has every chance to get their first win in front of their fans, for the first time after 3 months. The hosts showed their limits in their last match at the Carlo Castellani Stadium, failing to beat Lecce. It was a balanced game in which Empoli managed to get back in the game thanks to an own goal scored by the visitors (1-1 final score).
Team News
Empoli are being hit with an injury crisis with no less than 3 key players sidelined. Giusseppe Pezella has broken his ankle since the end of September and is expected to return no sooner than February. Bartos Berezinski and Francesco Caputo were subbed during the game with Lecce accusing muscle problems.
Aurelio Andreazzoli will stick to his 4-3-3 attacking setup. Ismajli and Luperto will start as centre backs with Liberato Cacace being expected to replace Berezinski in the left side. Grassi, Kovalenko and Males will transition the play forward. Emmanuel Gyasi is expected to start as a centre forward in the absence of Caputo.
Lazio
Lazio are having a very strange season. If in Serie A the team coached by Maurizio Sarri is struggling, in the Champions League things are completely different. The lack of a numerically valuable squad is an explanation for the mixed results in the two competitions. With only 21 points accumulated in 16 rounds, the hosts find themselves in a disappointing 16th place. Lazio have lowered their standards in this Serie A season with more defeats (7) than wins (6). The Eagles have failed to win in their last 3 competitive matches, suffering 2 defeats against high-calibre opponents (Atletico Madrid and Inter) and an away draw with Verona.
It is hard to believe that the team coached by Sarri has a negative goal difference (-2) after 16 rounds. Super goalscorer Ciro Immobile did not perform offensively this term, managing to score only 4 goals. The defence is also weakened, conceding no less than 18 goals. The hosts seemed to have prioritized the Champions League, qualifying in the last 16 out of a group with Atletico Madrid, Feyenoord and Celtic. It may also be the last 2 games of this season in that competition considering their opponents, the Bavaria giants Bayern Munich.
Team News
Alessio Romagnolli, the experienced centre back is still recovering from his calf injury suffered in late November. Gustav Isaksen joined him in the recovery room on 5 December after pulling his hamstring muscle. Manuel Lazzari will also miss the trip to Empoli, serving a one-game match ban.
Key factors to consider
Empoli is finding life difficult in Serie A, winning only one match from the last 7 played (the 1-0 shock win at Napoli).
The last time Andrea Andreazzoli s team won at home against Lazio was in 2015 (1-0).
The hosts conceded 8 goals in their last 3 Serie A matches played at the Carlo Castellani Stadium.
Lazio has been a big disappointment this season in Serie A, winning only 6 of their 17 games played.
Maurizio Sarri managed to qualify his team in the knock-out phase of the Champions League where they will meet Bayern Munich.
The visitors won the last 4 games played away at Empoli, scoring 7 goals in this fixture.
Conclusion
Lazio will face an injury-hit Empoli, hoping to get their 1st win away from home since the end of October. Although Maurizio Sarri s team failed to get the results in Serie A, the match against Empoli is the perfect set-up to start a resurrection.
Verdict: Lazio win
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