Empoli take on the visitors Napoli in the round 8 match of Italian Serie A. The match will be played on Sunday, October 20th at Stadio Carlo Castellani (Empoli).
Empoli suffered their first defeat of the season under Roberto D'Aversa just before the October international break, but it came only in the 7th round of Serie A. In the away game against Lazio, the "Azzurri" quickly took the lead, but a relentless Roman assault resulted in the Tuscans not even being able to hold onto a draw in the end (1-2). After 2 wins and 4 draws, Empoli has now dropped to 10th place and heads into the break. Unfortunately, the schedule doesn’t get any easier after the pause, as they face Antonio Conte’s in-form Napoli at home, meaning a second consecutive defeat cannot be ruled out. Empoli’s resources are modest, and over the course of a long season, mid-table sides tend to be less consistent. To make matters worse, the hosts will be missing two defenders—Saba Sazonov and Nigerian Ebuehi—further weakening their defensive stability.
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The fresh start under Antonio Conte, following a disappointing season, has been a boon for the Neapolitans. Before the international break, they beat Cesc Fàbregas' Como 3-1 at home. Prior to that, they had a 2-0 win against Monza at home, a 5-0 thrashing of Palermo in the cup, a solid 0-0 draw away to Juventus in Turin, and a 3-0 demolition of Bologna. Romelu Lukaku, the experienced Belgian striker, has fit well into the team, successfully filling the target man role that previously belonged to Victor Osimhen, who left for Turkey after falling out with the management. In midfield, Napoli signed Scott McTominay, a seasoned player from Manchester United, who will step in for Lobotka in the upcoming match. Lobotka’s absence due to an injury sustained during international duty is a blow, but Napoli has gotten used to playing without their primary goalkeeper, Meret, as Caprile has been doing a solid job in his place. There’s little doubt that Napoli will head to Empoli aiming for victory.
Empoli has had a solid start to the season, but they tend to play defensively, while their attack pales in comparison to Napoli's firepower. The defeat in Rome could signal the start of a downturn, especially with a tough schedule ahead, whereas Napoli is in fantastic form under Conte, playing with intensity from start to finish (as Conte is known as a motivational coach who squeezes the maximum out of his teams). Napoli's key players—Politano, Kvaratskhelia, Lukaku, and others—should be able to deliver here. It's worth noting that Napoli’s absence from European competition this season, following last year’s failure, allows them to fully focus on domestic matters, preparing thoroughly for each match. Napoli is the more skilled and higher-quality team, and a win here will keep them at the top of Serie A for at least another round. Their motivation is clear—if they want to keep delighting their fans, they need to take all three points in Empoli.
Prediction for the match: Napoli to win.
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