Empoli vs Fiorentina Match Analysis and Prediction

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Fiorentina make a trip to Empoli on Sunday as they will be contesting a Tuscan derby in their first away match on the 2022-23 season.

While the hosts have suffered successive defeats to continue a disappointing calender year, the visitors have started their 2022-23 campaign with wins in Serie A and in Europe.

The last four derbies between Empoli and Fiorentina in Serie A have each been won by the hosts, including a 2-1 win for the home side when they last met at Stadio Carlo Castellani back in November.

However, Empoli’s fortunes have since nosedived, and they were fortunate to avoid demotion at the end of their comeback campaign, managing safety more through the failings of others rather than their own readiness for the fight.

The Azzurri have now lost 20 of their last 22 matches in the top flight, following last week’s opening day defeat at the hands of potential relegation rivals Spezia.

Following consecutive defeats to end pre-season, Fiorentina have now flown out of the traps over the last week, as the competitive action got underway.

The Viola kicked off their Serie A campaign by seeing off promoted Cremonese 3-2 last Sunday at Stadio Artemio Franchi, where summer signing Luka Jovic scored on his debut before the hosts were gifted a fortunate winner deep into stoppage time.

Just a few days later, Vincenzo Italiano’s side met FC Twente for the first of two meetings across seven days, with Thursday’s Europa Conference League playoff first leg being hosted in Florence.

Looking to progress to the group stage of Europe’s newest club competition, following their seventh-placed finish in Seria A last season, Fiorentina further graced a proud record at the Franchi over recent months, during which time they have managed to post Italy’s second-best points total on home soil.

Empoli vs Fiorentina head to head

The two teams have previously met on 22 occasions across all competitions, where Empoli have claimed five victories while Fiorentina have won 13, and they have drawn in four. Empoli have scored 21 goals and conceded 38. In their last five meetings, Empoli have won three while Fiorentina have won two.

Fiorentina 1-2 Empoli 15/04/17

Fiorentina 3-1 Empoli 16/12/18

Empoli 1-0 Fiorentina 05/05/19

Empoli 2-1 Fiorentina 27/11/21

Fiorentina 1-0 Empoli 03/04/22

Empoli latest home form

Empoli lost 2-1 to SPAL after extra time in their last home game in the Coppa Italia. However, they have recently been on a good run of form at home, having been unbeaten in their previous four matches. In their last five matches, they have scored 18 goals and conceded just four.

Empoli 1-1 Salernitana 14/05/22

Empoli 11-0 Calcio Castelfiorentino 14/07/22

Empoli 3-0 Seravezza 19/07/22

Empoli 2-1 Pafos 28/07/22

Empoli 1-2(E) SPAL 06/08/22

Empoli latest away form

Empoli have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having won just two of their seven most recent matches. They lost 1-0 to Spezia in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored five goals and conceded nine.

Udinese 4-1 Empoli 16/04/22

Inter Milan 4-2 Empoli 06/05/22

Atalanta 0-1 Empoli 21/05/22

Trabzonspor 0-1 Empoli 25/07/22

Spezia 1-0 Empoli 14/08/22

Fiorentina latest home form

Fiorentina have recently been on a good run of form at home, having won each of their seven most recent matches. They defeated FC Twente 2-1 in their last home game in the Europa Conference League. In their last five matches, they have scored 20 goals and conceded just four.

Fiorentina 7-0 Real Vicenza VS 12/07/22

Fiorentina 4-1 Trento 22/07/22

Fiorentina 4-0 Triestina 23/07/22

Fiorentina 3-2 Cremonese 14/08/22

Fiorentina 2-1 Twente 18/08/22

Fiorentina latest away form

Fiorentina have recently been on a poor run of form on the road, having lost each of their six most recent matches. They lost 3-1 to Real Betis in their last away game in a friendly. In their last five matches, they have scored just four goals and conceded 12.

Salernitana 2-1 Fiorentina 24/04/22

AC Milan 1-0 Fiorentina 01/05/22

Sampdoria 4-1 Fiorentina 16/05/22

Galatasaray 2-1 Fiorentina 31/07/22

Real Betis 3-1 Fiorentina 06/08/22

Empoli news

Empoli are set to be without Lorenzo Tonelli again this weekend, but they have no other injury issues and are likely to field a similar side to that beaten by Spezia.

Summer signings Sam Lammers and Mattia Destro should form the front two, with Liam Henderson and Nedim Bajrami providing support from behind.

Fiorentina news

Giacomo Bonaventura remains doubtful for Fiorentina, having missed out on Thursday’s Europa Conference League game entirely, while Gaetano Castrovilli is a long-term absentee.

Dodo could start ahead of Marco Benassi and Lorenzo Venuti both of whom have features at right-back so far, while Luka Jovic should return at the centre of the front three.

Prediction and Odds

Fiorentina can be fragile defensively and fatigue could be a factor following Thursday’s efforts in the Europa Conference League, but their attacking prowess under Vincenzo Italiano.

That said, we believe they are capable of picking up maximum points from this local affair, while Empoli’s poor streak is set to roll on.

Odds: 1 2.28 X 2.05 2 2.20