Empoli FC will host AS Roma in the Serie A 38th-round match at the Carlo Castellani Stadium. The fixture will take place on Monday, May 27, beginning at 00:15 IST.
Parimatch News will tell you everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming match.
Empoli News & Current Form:
After a dismal start to the season and a subsequent change of coach, Empoli have managed to balance their results and climb out of a deep slump. However, they have still faced a nervy end to the season and a battle for survival. Currently, the team is in 18th place in the table with 33 points, trailing Udinese by one point and Frosinone by two points.
On the other hand, everything is in Nicola’s team’s hands, as a victory over Roma will guarantee them a place in the top flight next season. In the event of a draw, there is hope for a play-off match for the right to stay in Serie A, but this depends on the parallel matches of opponents. A defeat will, therefore, consign Empoli to Lega B.
M’Baye Niang is the team’s top scorer with 5 goals in 13 matches.
However, the Azzurri approach this decisive match in poor form. In the last five rounds, the team has drawn with Udinese Calcio (1:1) and Frosinone Calcio (0:0), suffered defeats to Atalanta BC (2:0) and SS Lazio (2:0), and won against SSC Napoli, who failed to defend their title. The team are struggling both in attack and defense, as evidenced by their low scoring and the number of goals conceded: in these five matches, side of Davide Nicola has scored just two goals and conceded five.
Alberto Cerri and Tyronne Ebuehi will be unable to help their team in the final match of the season due to injuries, while Alberto Grassi will miss the game due to a red card suspension.
Roma News & Current Form:
Roma are ending this season on a somber note. The team will undoubtedly finish in sixth place, and their participation in European competitions next season no longer depends on them. In case Atalanta lose in their last meetings, Roma will secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League. Otherwise, De Rossi’s side will compete in the UEFA Europa League.
The club from the Italian capital are currently in 6th place in the Serie A standings and have managed to catch up to Atalanta. The appointment of Daniele De Rossi as head coach in January invigorated the Giallorossi, but they have slowed down at the worst possible time. In the last three rounds of the Italian championship, Roma have shown mixed results: a draw with Juventus FC (1:1), a loss to La Dea (2:1), and a victory over Genoa CFC (1:0). Additionally, Roma were knocked out of the UEL at the semi-final stage, losing to the formidable Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
The team’s top scorer is Romelu Lukaku with 22 goals in 48 games.
Roma’s squad still lacks left midfielder Leonardo Spinazzola due to injury. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku and Leandro Paredes are unable to play due to previous red card suspensions.
Empoli form guide: L-W-L-D-L-D
Roma form guide: D-L-D-D-L-W
Empoli vs Roma Head-To-Head Record:
| Empoli | Draw | Roma |
| 2 | 3 | 17 |
- September 12, 2022: Empoli 1 – 2 Roma (Serie A);
- February 4, 2023: Roma 2 – 0 Empoli (Serie A);
- September 17, 2023: Roma 7 – 0 Empoli (Serie A).
Empoli vs Roma Predicted XI:
Empoli’s possible starting lineup (3-5-2): Caprile; Bereszynski, Ismajli, Luperto; Gyasi, Maleh, Marin, Bastoni, Pezzella; Cambiaghi, Niang.
Roma’s possible starting lineup (4-3-2-1): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Ndicka, Angelino; Bove, Cristante, Pellegrini; Dybala, Abraham, El Shaarawy.
Statistical preview of the match Empoli vs Roma:
- Empoli’s First XI average age is 26.7 years, Roma’s First XI average age is 26.4 years.
- The total value of hosts’ squad is 68 mln euros, while the total of guests comes up to 327 mln euros.
- Davide Massa has been appointed as the center referee. The match official has already served 21 games this season, showing an average of 5 yellow cards and also whistling 25 fouls per game.
- Empoli have not lost at home in three matches in a row.
- Roma have conceded two goals in each of their last three away matches.
- Empoli have not beaten Roma since 2007.
- Roma are unbeaten in 5 of their last 7 away matches in Serie A competition.
- In their last 5 games Empoli score an average of 0.40 goals per game and concede an average of 1.00 goals per game.
- In their last 5 games, Roma conceded an average of 1.40 goals per game and scored an average of 1.00 goals per game.
What has been said before the match:
Gaffer of the Azzurri Davide Nicola gave a comment about the last game his team played and controversial decision of match official:
“I struggle to come here and talk, but I have to do it. I respect referee Marco Guida, but I disagree with his decisions. He disallowed a valid goal. It’s the fourth time it has happened this season. I’ll stop here because I don’t want to go beyond and I want to respect everyone’s work.”
“My lads played a good game and I am happy with them,” the coach continued. We’ll prepare for the next match and we must believe in it. I told the lads to bear everything, including injustices.”
“There is nothing to say about Udinese’s penalty. Perhaps the only thing is that it came after additional stoppage time. But now we must focus on the next game, fans included, whom I will always thank. I’ll tell the guys to remain united. We have a big week ahead, and we must face it together.”
“The performance must give us strength, we must think that it is possible. And do everything in these seven days to get to the match and give our best. People must see that we have nothing more to give after the match with Roma. I imagine something extraordinary in my head, because I see this environment and these guys working every day. Precisely because of today we deserve it.”
Daniele de Rossi, coach of Roma, spoke candidly about the challenges and aspirations of his team. He also emphasized the importance of player commitment and the necessity for a cohesive strategy between the coach and the club management:
“Paulo has had one training session with us, yesterday, which was a pretty light session because in the previous two days we pushed the lads who were training quite hard. He’s done some individual sessions in which he’s pushed himself a bit. We’ll see how he looks in training.”
“We’ve been regularly finishing fifth, sixth, and seventh, so we need to change something. Whether it’s been big names or other players, that has remained a constant. The league placing has been decent but it’s not what we want for our future. A strong coach gets the club to buy the players he wants – he has to impose himself. A strong club has to listen to and cater to the coach, within the realms of possibility. If you go and ask for a €100 million player, you’re crazy.”
“I think the prime requisite for a player should be having hunger and desire, and thinking that playing for Roma is the best thing that could happen to them, whether it’s because they love the club, for their career path, because they like Rome or because they want to join Real or Barcelona one day. But if you don’t have that hunger, it doesn’t matter if it’s a big-name player or a young player.”
“Some young players have less hunger than experienced ones – we’ve seen that loads of times. We need people who set the pitch alight with their running and their desire. I’m not just talking about Roma, the shirt, the Curva – those things meant a lot to me, but for many of the players I played with they didn’t because they weren’t born Romanisti, yet they still went out there and gave 110%.”
Empoli vs Roma Prediction:
The hosts are fighting hard to stay in Serie A, while the Romans cannot climb any higher than sixth place. Nevertheless, this spot could open the way to the Champions League for Roma if Atalanta finish fifth in the league. Empoli are desperate for a win, as a draw can only put the team into the knockout rounds for the right to stay in the Italian league only in case Udinese lose in the parallel match. Winning, however, will be extremely challenging, as the club have only picked up two points in their last four Serie A meetings, and their last home success specifically against Roma was back in 2007. There is no reason to believe that Davide Nicola’s men will be able to break this frustrating head-to-head trend. The Romans are far superior in class and too uncomfortable an opponent for the Blues, and they won’t be playing with their sleeves down. For a club of this level, it is momentous to end the season on a major note. Unfortunately for the home fans, Empoli, who saw only 2 wins in their last 10 matches, do not show anything to overcome such a serious opponent.
Parimatch News staff prediction:
We say: AS Roma will not lose – Yes.
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