Verona vs Empoli prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2024-12-07 14:00.
[p]Hellas Verona found a way to limit the flow of goals conceded against Cagliari, but still lost 1-0 last Friday for a third consecutive defeat and a ninth over the last 11 games (W2). With only a point between themselves and the relegation zone, head coach Paolo Zanetti will be under pressure to find long-term answers to defensive issues, with his side having let in at least seven goals more than any other Serie A team after 14 rounds. [/p]
[p]Verona’s last two victories have both come at their Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi home however, and the Yellow and Blues will hope that their four-game alternating sequence of wins and losses there continues after a 5-0 defeat against Inter in their last home runout (W2, L2). The presence of Empoli in town could therefore calm their nerves, as Verona have mostly come out on top in this fixture as hosts in Serie A (W5, D1, L1).[/p]
[p]Empoli surprised Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday, progressing on penalties to earn what was just their second win over the last ten matches (D4, L4). Head coach Roberto D’Aversa called the result “historic” and will hope that it helps his side push for a top-half league finish, as they have defended impressively in Serie A action this season (GA14), somewhat masking their deficiencies at the other end (GF10).[/p]
[p]One area of improvement for Empoli is keeping away clean sheets, as they have managed just one in nine outings on the road this season, despite their record in those games being very good (W4, D3, L2). The win at Fiorentina might help them rediscover some form on their league travels however, as they haven’t won any of their last four such encounters (D2, L2), despite going 1-0 up in three of those matches.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Casper Tengstedt’s last three goals have all arrived inside 15 minutes as Verona match openers, with the last two coming in home wins. One Empoli player who may relish this fixture is Lorenzo Colombo, who has seen his last two league goals come in away victories and scored a brace on his last visit to this venue in a winning cause, albeit with Monza last season.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Empoli have scored exactly once in eight of the last nine top-flight H2Hs.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Sridhar B[/i][/p]