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2022/23 Italian Serie A
Matchday 24
Empoli FC v SSC Napoli
Stadio Carlo Castellani
Empoli, Italy
Saturday, 25 February 2023
Kick-off is at 19h00
Empoli FC will take on log leaders SSC Napoli in an
Italian Serie A match at the Stadio Carlo Castellani on February 25.
Current Form
The Blues held ACF Fiorentina to a 1-1 draw away on February 19 and the draw extended their unbeaten run to four matches in the league.
However, Empoli are undefeated in their last five matches at home having recorded three successives wins and two consecutive draws at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.
While Napoli emerged as 2-0 winners over US Sassuolo away on February 17 as they extended their unbeaten run to seven matches in Serie A.
The Little Donkeys are also undefeated in their last four matches on the road having registered four consecutive wins as the visitors.
What Is At Stake
Empoli have blown hot and cold this season which sees them placed 12th on the league standings - 11 points above the relegation zone.
They will be keen to secure a win over Napoli in order to move further away from the relegation zone, but the Little Donkeys are still the most in-form team in the league.
Napoli are sitting pretty at the top of the log - 15 points clear of second-placed Inter Milan and a win over Empoli would move them closer to clinching their maiden Serie A title since 1990.
Team News
Empoli will be without four players as Lorenzo Tonelli and Mattia Destro are nursing long-term injurues, while Filippo Bandinelli and Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro are suspended.
Meanwhile, Napoli forward Giacomo Raspadori is expected to miss the game as he continues to nurse a hamstring injury.
Key Players
Francesco Caputo is the Empoli player to watch out for as the Italian forward has been involved in four league goals this term - hitting the back of the net twice and providing two assists.
The Blues will be wary of free-scoring Victor Osimhen who has scored in five consecutive matches and the Serie A top scorer is currently on 18 goals for Napoli.
Image copyright: Getty Images
Quotes
“Tonight we were synthetic in the things we did, we were quick, qualitative in circulating the ball and in creating chances," Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti said after their clash with Sassuolo.
“In my opinion we suffered a couple of times because Sassuolo are well coached and play good football, so you can't have 90 minutes of supremacy and sometimes you have to suffer.
“Then in the second half we came out well, created several chances to make it 3-0. And it turned out that the team performed like a super mature, super attentive, eager team. “We are living a good moment, but nobody has the presumption to go softer and these are important signals for the future."
Head-to-Head
Napoli ran out as 2-0 winners over Empoli in their last meeting in the league which was on 8 November 2022 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
The win ended the Little Donkeys' three-match winless run against the Blues who had recorded three consecutive victories over Napoli before last November.
(Last Five Serie A Meetings)
Matches - 5
Empoli - 3
Napoli - 2
Draws - 0
Italian Serie A matchday 24 fixtures
Saturday, February 25
19:00 - Empoli v SSC Napoli
21:45 - US Lecce v US Sassuolo
Sunday, February 26
13:30 - Bologna FC v Inter Milan
16:00 - US Salernitana v AC Monza
19:00 - Udinese Calcio v Spezia Calcio
21:45 - AC Milan v Atalanta BC
Monday, February 27
19:30 - Hellas Verona v ACF Fiorentina
21:45 - SS Lazio v UC Sampdoria
Tuesday, February 28
19:30 - Cremonese v AS Roma
21:45 - Juventus FC v Torino FC
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