Just one place separates Empoli and Lecce in the Serie A table before Monday's meeting at Stadio Carlo Castellani.
The Azzurri lost 2-1 at Atalanta BC before the international break, while the Giallorossi fell to a 1-0 reverse against Fiorentina.
Match preview
© Reuters
If Lecce had the threat of relegation hanging over them, a run of four defeats on the trot would have filled supporters with trepidation.
Paolo Zanetti's men are nine points ahead of Hellas Verona in 18th but need to start picking up results to avoid being sucked into a late-season tussle to stay in the division.
They currently occupy 14th place, interestingly where they finished the 2021-22 campaign, but could slide to 16th if they lose to Monday's opponents and Salernitana — who travel to Spezia a day earlier — win this weekend.
Such a situation was not foreseen for Empoli when they defeated Inter Milan 1-0 at San Siro in January, but that was the last time the side from Tuscany tasted victory.
They have now gone eight matches without success, certainly not the kind of form you would like heading into the final 11 rounds in Serie A.
© Reuters
Empoli could be supplanted by Lecce, who trails the 14th-placed team by a point, but the visiting team on Monday have not been pulling up trees in the league of late.
While they picked up maximum points recently compared to the Azzurri, their four-game losing run in the competition mirrors Zanetti's men.
Marco Baroni's troops have surprisingly not built on the 2-1 triumph at Atalanta's Gewiss Stadium in February, a situation that must rankle in Puglia.
Be that as it may, for a side that only just returned to the league after winning Serie B last season, being eight points clear of the bottom three must be viewed as a positive by Lupi.
Their inability to score in the last four games may raise concerns, but it should also be noted that this side found the back of the net at least once in nine of the previous 11 games.
The reverse fixture saw both sides share the spoils in Lecce as it ended 1-1.
- D
- D
- L
- L
- L
- L
- D
- W
- L
- L
- L
- L
Team News
© Reuters
Nicolo Cambiaghi has not played for Empoli since February 19, and the winger is unlikely to feature on Monday.
Having had to replace Ardian Ismajli 20 minutes after his introduction at Atalanta two weeks back, it remains to be seen if the defender is available to make the squad.
Mattia Destro was named among the substitutes in Bergamo after missing four months through injury, so the centre-forward could play from the off if Zanetti deems him fit enough.
Kastriot Dermaku — out since November — has not recovered from pubalgia and will not be involved on Monday.
Samuel Umtiti and Youssef Maleh are suspended after picking up yellow cards in the 1-0 loss at Fiorentina.
Despite going off injured against the Viola, Valentin Gendrey's problem was mild, and the right-back has since featured for the France Under-21 side over the international break.
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Perisan; Ebuehi, De Winter, Luperto, Parisi; Akpa Akpro, Marin, Bandinelli; Baldanzi; Satriano, Caputo
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Tuia, Gallo; Gonzalez, Hjulmand, Blin; Strefezza, Colombo, Di Francesco
We say: Empoli 1-0 Lecce
Neither side is in top goalscoring form, but Empoli's decent-to-good record at the Castellani — they had gone five unbeaten until recent defeats by Napoli and Udinese — and Lecce's ongoing four-game run without scoring means the Azzurri should edge this one by the odd goal.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.