After suffering their first loss of the season the previous week, Atalanta BC will want to quickly get back on track when they travel to face Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani on Sunday.
La Dea fell to fourth place in the Serie A rankings after suffering a home defeat to Lazio by a score of 2-0; nevertheless, the team has won four of their five away matches and drew one of them so far.
Despite suffering a crushing loss in their most recent match, their hosts still hold a position in the middle of the table.
Our Match Preview: Empoli vs Atalanta BC
Atalanta was one of only four clubs remaining unbeaten in Europe’s top five divisions when they hosted Lazio in Bergamo last Sunday.
Even missing Capocannoniere Ciro Immobile due to injury, the visitors opened through La Dea’s hitherto impregnable defensive twice, sending Maurizio Sarri’s side back to Rome with maximum points. Atalanta failed to get a shot on target and lost Luis Muriel late.
The Nerazzurri are tied with Lazio on 24 points after 11 games, five behind Napoli but still in the top-four competition, above Juventus, Inter, and Roma.
Gian Piero Gasperini will expect his troops to get back on track in Tuscany this weekend after losing and failing to score for the first time this season. They have improved since completing a poor 2021-22 campaign with successive losses in May, one of which was against Empoli.
Atalanta must play Napoli and Inter in their last three games before the World Cup.
Gasperini’s side has had extra time to practice without European play this season, so they should be ready for Sunday’s Serie A opener.
Empoli might win consecutive top-flight matches against Atalanta for the first time after winning 1-0 in Bergamo.
That achievement was one of few for the Tuscan team in 2022, after a strong start to life in the Italian top. Under new coach Paolo Zanetti, things have progressively improved.
Despite losing 4-0 to Juventus last weekend, the Azzurri sit five points clear of the Serie A relegation zone coming into the 12th round.
With three home games before Qatar, they have a chance to improve their status, although Atalanta won’t be easy and their last away game is at Napoli’s Stadio Maradona.
Empoli has scored only 10 goals in 12 league and cup games this season, despite having more possession than Juventus and failing to score.
Our team News: Empoli vs Atalanta BC
Atalanta’s medical report on Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon, who is currently out with a hamstring injury, virtually nullified the good news about captain Rafael Toloi’s return to full training this week.
On top of Luis Muriel’s ban for being sent off against Lazio, Davide Zappacosta’s availability for Sunday’s game is in question. Duvan Zapata, the Colombian teammate of the latter, will take over the upfront. Zapata scored on his last trip to the Castellani in October 2021.
After making his return from injury last week, Berat Djimsiti will battle with youthful players Giorgio Scalvini and Caleb Okoli for a spot alongside Merih Demiral in the visitors’ starting back three.
Meanwhile, ex-Atalanta striker Sam Lammers catches up with his old teammates to hone his shooting skills for the event. Lammers has tried the most shots out of any Serie A forward who has scored exactly one this season (23).
Both Martin Satriano and Mattia Destro, who began up front against Juventus, went scoreless, thus Lammers and Nicolo Cambiaghi will be considered.
Ardian Ismajli and Lorenzo Tonelli, two of the home team’s defenders, are questionable with injuries, while Alberto Grassi, a key member of the midfield, is also in jeopardy.
- Empoli Possible Starting Lineup: Vicario, Stojanovic, De Winter, Luperto, Parisi, Haas, Marin, Bandinelli, Bajrami; Satriano, Lammers.
- Atalanta BC Possible Starting Lineup: Sportiello, Okoli, Demiral, Djimsiti, Hateboer, Pasalic, Koopmeiners, Soppy, Ederson; Lookman, Zapa.
Our Prediction: Empoli 1-1 Atalanta BC
Except for their match against Juventus, Empoli has played to five draws so far this season, which has made them a difficult opponent for many other clubs.
The Azzurri can keep Atalanta at bay for extended periods thanks to their home-field advantage, and they should eventually grind out another important point.
