Empoli vs Torino prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-01-27 14:00.
Empoli achieved what manager Paolo Zanetti described as “a dream coming true” when stunning ten-man Inter Milan to leave the San Siro with a surprise 1-0 victory. That win extended Empoli’s unbeaten league run to five matches (W3, D2) and moved them to within a point of upcoming opponents Torino, who are also occupying a top-half position. But with just three wins from their ten historical Serie A (SA) home H2Hs (D6, L1), they will know that leapfrogging Torino this weekend will not be guaranteed.
A clean sheet probably holds the key to improving upon that record when considering that each of Empoli’s six SA wins this season were accompanied by a shutout. Zanetti’s side may need some time to grow into the game though, with a league-high 12 of their 19 SA games being level at the half-time break, whilst five of their six league victories this season followed a half-time draw.
After a 1-0 away win at Fiorentina last weekend, Torino are swiftly back on the road for the second of three successive away games. With a Coppa Italia quarter-final in the wake of this clash, Torino would be forgiven for having half an eye on that rematch against Fiorentina, even more so considering cup success is likely their best avenue to securing an unlikely European spot.
But after lamenting that his side “perhaps could have had seven or eight more points” at this point of the season, an otherwise “very satisfied” Ivan Jurić won’t be taking anything for granted, particularly after their recent mixed bag of league form (W1, D3, L1) stifled the positives of their Coppa Italia exploits. One thing Jurić won’t want to change for the time being is an interesting pattern continuing throughout those five SA games that saw the away side of the day open the scoring.
Players to watch: Tommaso Baldanzi was Empoli’s hero against Inter, netting his fourth successive game opening goal this season. Likewise, Aleksei Miranchuk was Torino’s match winner in their last outing and he has scored the opener in each of his two away goalscoring appearances this season.
Hot stat: No SA side has conceded fewer first-half SA home goals this season than Empoli’s two.