Roma will be getting back to Serie A action when they make a trip to Stadio Carlo Castellani to face Empoli on Sunday, as they seek to improve their poor away form and get beck in the race for a top four place.
While the visitors have won back-to-back matches in league and cup, they will enter this contest having slipped seven points adrift of the Champions League places, sitting just six points above their mid-table hosts.
Having recovered from the devastating setback of their late collapse against Juventus by scraping a win over Cagliari last weekend, Roma added Coppa Italia progress to those three Serie A points in midweek.
After a short period of adaptation, top scorer Tammy Abraham has now scored 15 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions for Jose Mourinho’s side, scoring eight in Serie A so far.
However, the former Chelsea striker’s intergration has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise unconvincing campaign, and Roma sit 7th in the table, most probably due to their lack of points collected on the road.
Meanwhile, Empoli have lost 19 of their 27 Serie A matches against I Giallorossi, so the precedent as well as recent form will count against them before kickoff.
Returning as Serie B champions last year, Gli Azzurri started off at a great pace during the autumn and virtually assured survival even before the winter break.
However, their last week’s 1-1 draw with fellew promoted side Venezia means they have picked up just two points in 2022 and leaves them inside the bottom half of the table.
Veteran coach Aurelio Andreazzoli has also seen his side exit the Coppa Italia in recent days, as league leaders Inter Milan edged them out in extra time through a 3-2 victory at San Siro on January 19.
Empoli vs Roma head to head
The two teams have previously had 24 encounters, where Roma are leading with 17 victories while Empoli have won 2, and they have drawn in 5. Roma have scored 43 goals and conceded 17 in the process. In their last five meetings, Roma have won in four and they have drawn once.
Empoli 0-0 Roma 30/10/16
Roma 2-0 Empoli 01/04/17
Empoli 0-2 Roma 06/10/18
Roma 2-1 Empoli 11/03/19
Roma 2-0 Empoli 03/10/21
Empoli latest home form
Empoli have recently seemed to be on the losing end of form at home, as they have lost their last two matches, after previously being unbeaten in four matches. Their last home victory came 3-1 against Udinese on December 6. In their last five, they have won two, drawn one and lost two.
Empoli 1-1 Perugia 13/11/21
Empoli 2-1 Fiorentina 27/11/21
Empoli 3-1 Udinese 06/12/21
Empoli 2-4 AC Milan 22/12/21
Empoli 1-5 Sassuolo 09/01/22
Empoli latest away form
Empoli have recently been on a relatively good run of form on the road, having lost just one of their last seven away matches. They lost their last away match 3-2 to Inter Milan after extra time in the Coppa Italia. They have won one, drawn three and lost one of their last five.
Verona 3-4 Empoli 15/12/21
Spezia 1-1 Empoli 19/12/21
Lazio 3-3 Empoli 06/01/21
Venezia 1-1 Empoli 16/01/22
Inter Milan (E)3-2 Empoli 19/01/22
Roma latest home form
Roma have recently been on a good run of form at home, as they have lost just one of their last five matches. They won their last home game, defeating Lecce 3-1 in the Coppa Italia. In their last five matches, they have won three, drawn one and lost one.
Roma 2-0 Spezia 13/12/21
Roma 1-1 Sampdoria 22/12/21
Roma 3-4 Juventus 09/01/22
Roma 1-0 Cagliari 16/01/22
Roma 3-1 Lecce 20/01/22
Roma latest away form
Roma have recently not been on their best form on the road. They lost their last league away match 3-1 to AC Milan. However, they recently managed to defeat CSKA Sofia 3-2 in the Europa Conference League. In their last five away matches, they have won three and lost two.
Genoa 0-2 Roma 21/11/21
Bologna 1-0 Roma 01/12/21
CSKA Sofia 2-3 Roma 09/12/21
Atalanta 1-4 Roma 18/12/21
AC Milan 3-1 Roma 06/01/22
Empoli news
Full-back Fabiano Parisi and midfielder Nicolas Haas are sidelined until next month through injury, but Mattia Viti is back from a ban and is in contntion to start in the back four.
Nedim Bajrami, Petar Stojanovic and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario were rested in the midweek, but are all set to return to the first XI.
Roma news
Jose Mourinho has boosted his squad by signing Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sergio Oliveira on loan this month, while forward Stephan El Shaarawy and defender Chris Smalling are back at Mourinho’s disposal. Tammy Abraham will again lead the line up front, having managed to score five goals in his last six outings.
Prediction and Odds
Empoli will enter the contest winless in six matches, and will want to bounce back from their disappointment at Roma by recording a victory here.
However, Roma are a better team and with the boost of new signings, they are likely to come out stronger and pick up the victory.
Odds: 1 2.80 X 3.05 2 2.20
Probable outcomes
Empoli 0-2 Roma
Empoli 1-2 Roma
Empoli 1-3 Roma
Empoli 1-4 Roma
Empoli 2-4 Roma
