Empoli-Sassuolo is a friendly and will be played on Friday at 16:00: news, stats, formations, predictions, live TV and streaming
Between the Serie A tastings on offer this pre-Christmas Friday there is also the friendly match at the “Castellani” between Empoli and Sassuolo, currently separated by just two points in the standings. Surprisingly, the Tuscans are in front, protagonists of an overall positive first part of the season, which has seen them finish in 13th place, in line with the objective that the Azzurri club set last summer: a quiet salvation.
The impact of coach Paolo Zanetti was excellent. He arrived in Tuscany amidst a thousand doubts following President Corsi’s bizarre decision to relieve Aurelio Andreazzoli, who had been exonerated despite having achieved safety last season. The former Venezia coach, for now, is not making his predecessor regret. Empoli may have fewer points than in the extraordinary first half of 2021-22, but at the moment there are ten points between the Azzurri and the third-last position. It suffers with the big teams but it doesn’t miss direct clashes and in addition it has a very solid defence, the second least perforated among the teams from tenth place down.
Empoli came out on top last November.
Last November Empoli had got the better of Sassuolo, beaten 1-0 thanks to a goal from youngster Baldanzi. That was the seventh defeat in fifteen days for the neroverdi, who are proving to be suffering from the changes that took place in the summer and especially Berardi’s physical troubles, which coach Dionisi has had virtually none of.
Before the break Sassuolo had suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat in the derby against Bologna, their third knockout in the last four rounds. Signs of awakening in the tests faced last week, in which the Emilians took the brunt of beating Marseille 3-2 and held their own (1-2) against the Dutch Psv Eindhoven. Empoli were also involved in a series of international friendlies: Zanetti’s men won 2-1 against Sturm Graz, drew 1-1 with Wolverhampton and lost narrowly to Monaco (0-1).
The Prediction
This could be a less locked game than in the league, despite clashing two teams that have disappointed offensively so far. We expect at least one goal on each side in the friendly between Empoli and Sassuolo
Empoli v Sassuolo matchday squad
- EMPOLI (4-3-1-2): Vicario; Stojanovic, Ismajli, De Winter, Parisi; Haas, Marin, Henderson; Bajrami; Satriano, Cambiaghi.
- SASSUOLO (4-3-3): Consigli; Toljan, Erlic, Tressoldi, Marchizza; Frattesi, Maxime Lopez, Thorstvedt; D’Andrea, Alvarez, Laurienté.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
