Soccer Italy Serie A Prediction

Empoli vs Juventus - Match Preview

⚽ 22 May 2023 - 18:45 GMT +0

After a concerning run of three successive Serie A (SA) defeats to end April, Empoli has sprung into May on a different note and eased their relegation fears by putting together a three-game undefeated run in response (W2, D1). Their offence has been responsible for this turnaround in fortune, as, across those six games combined, not one clean sheet was kept.

The Stadio Carlo Castellani faithful will be pleased with what manager Paolo Zanetti has masterminded, after a run of four consecutive home matches without a win (D2, L2) has since been met by winning three of their last four (L1). The Blues will now be hoping to avoid the Monday blues once again when they tackle Juventus here, especially as they’ve managed to go unbeaten in their last five top-flight matches played on a Monday.

Juve’s mental and physical fitness will be tested in this match as they’ll have to recover from the heartbreak of their UEFA Europa League exit at the semi-final stage after an extra-time loss to one of the competition’s stalwarts, Sevilla. Luckily, they’ve gone all in on SA lately by winning their last three league matches, meaning they’ve all but wrapped up a top-four spot.

However, on her travels, the Old Lady has faced some adversity, with that European failure in Seville being their sixth winless encounter from their last seven away assignments (D2, L4). Perhaps a trip to Empoli will aid in ensuring Juventus’ travelling contingent gets their money's worth, having bested their hosts in no less than 17 of their last 21 H2Hs in all competitions (D2, L2).

📋 Players to watch: Empoli’s veteran forward Francesco Caputo has proven that experience matters by scoring the winner in two of his side’s last three wins. Meanwhile, Adrien Rabiot’s late brace capped off a 4-0 win for Juventus in the reverse fixture, contributing to him having lost only once in the last 13 matches finding the net for the Black and Whites (W11, D1).

⚡ Hot stat: Juventus have only lost two of the last 79 SA games in which they took the lead at any point (W64, D13).