Empoli vs Juventus: Serie A Showdown Between Unbeaten Teams

Date: Saturday, September 16, 2024
Venue: Stadio Castellani, Empoli

Empoli vs Juventus : This Saturday evening, Serie A fans are in for a treat as two unbeaten teams, Empoli and Juventus, lock horns at Stadio Castellani. Juventus, under new head coach Thiago Motta, have yet to concede a goal this season, while Empoli have surprised many with their strong start to the 2024-25 campaign.

Match Preview

Juventus, despite a frustrating goalless draw against Roma before the international break, have displayed a solid start to their season. Under Motta’s leadership, the Bianconeri are embracing a more proactive approach, scoring six goals without reply in their first two matches. They sit atop the Serie A standings, level with Inter Milan and Torino on seven points.

With a Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven on the horizon, Juventus will be eager to continue their Serie A dominance by securing another clean sheet—a feat that would mark the fifth time in their history they’ve achieved four consecutive shutouts at the start of a campaign. Juventus’ defensive solidity is highlighted by their league-best shot-conversion rate (21%) and 90% successful pass completion.

Empoli, meanwhile, have started the season impressively despite being under the management of Roberto D’Aversa, who is serving a touchline ban following his controversial departure from Lecce. Empoli’s unbeaten run in Serie A includes an eye-catching 2-1 victory over Roma and draws with Monza and Bologna.

Empoli have also shown resilience at home, with a six-match unbeaten run stretching back to last season, and a 4-1 win against Juventus two years ago at Stadio Castellani. With their recent form, Juventus will likely face a tough battle to secure all three points on Saturday.

Team News

Juventus will welcome back key players Khephren Thuram and Timothy Weah, who have both recovered from injuries. Summer signing Teun Koopmeiners is also available after missing international duty, though Sergio Conceicao remains sidelined with a muscular issue. Star striker Dusan Vlahovic, who has scored four goals against Empoli in previous encounters, will lead the Juventus attack.

For Empoli, top scorer Emmanuel Gyasi will be key to their attacking hopes after netting in the last two games. However, the home side will miss key players Samuele Perisan, Szymon Zurkowski, and Tyronne Ebuehi due to injury. There is hope that Giuseppe Pezzella and Jacopo Fazzini may be fit in time to bolster the squad. New signing Mattia De Sciglio could also make his debut against his former club.

Predicted Lineups

Empoli (4-3-3):
Vasquez; De Sciglio, Ismajli, Viti, Pezzella; Grassi, Henderson, Gyasi; Solbakken, Esposito, Colombo

Juventus (4-3-3):
Di Gregorio; Savona, Bremer, Gatti, Cabal; Locatelli, Fagioli, Koopmeiners; Cambiaso, Vlahovic, Yildiz

Prediction: Empoli 0-2 Juventus

With Juventus’ impressive defensive form and growing squad depth, the Bianconeri are expected to come away with a hard-fought victory. Empoli have proven they can compete with Serie A’s best, but Juventus’ new-look attack, led by Dusan Vlahovic, should be enough to secure three points.

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