Empoli vs Napoli prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2024-04-19 16:00.
[p]While points are the only currency that matters for Empoli as they continue to fight against relegation from Serie A, the nature of their performance in a 1-0 defeat to Lecce will have been most concerning. The Azzurri failed to register a single shot on target and faced 2.86 xG as they lost for the fifth time in six games (W1) to finish the last round just a point clear of the bottom three.[/p]
[p]Survival specialist Davide Nicola faces the same problem as his predecessor – scoring goals. Empoli have blanked in a league-high 18 games this term, with no side netting fewer than their 25 goals. Just 12 have arrived on home soil, but perhaps the visit of Napoli could inspire a positive result here given their strong historical record in the top-flight on home soil (W4, D4, L2).[/p]
[p]Napoli’s miserable season includes a 1-0 H2H defeat in November, leaving them at risk of being doubled by Empoli for just the second time ever should they lose here. The outgoing Serie A champions could ill-afford such a fate having won just one of their last six competitive matches (D3, L2), with a 2-2 draw against Frosinone most recently denting their European qualification hopes.[/p]
[p]Francesco Calzona, their third boss of the season, lamented that his side “don’t perceive danger” in the wake of that result. Now his Napoli players are in danger of rewriting the record books as the reigning Scudetto winners enter the round 34 points adrift of champions-elect Inter – the largest previous such gap was 38 points by Juventus in 1961/62 (adjusted to three points per win).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: A goal from Nicolò Cambiaghi could set Empoli on their way, as each of his last three strikes have come in home wins for the Azzurri. His impact can’t stack up against Khvicha Kvaratskhelia however, with the Georgian winger directly contributing to seven goals for Napoli in his last six league appearances (G4, A3).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Napoli have conceded the opening goal 18 times in Serie A this season – more than any other side in the top 12.[/p]