Inter vs Empoli prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2025-01-18 19:45.
[p]Inter Milan missed a chance to edge closer to Serie A leaders Napoli as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Bologna on Wednesday. Simone Inzaghi’s men retain a game in hand and boast a vastly superior goal difference, so their Scudetto defence remains firmly in their own hands thanks to a 14-match unbeaten run in Serie A (W11, D3).[/p]
[p]There appears little chance of that run ending against an Empoli side who they’ve lost just one of the last 15 H2Hs against (W14). An expectant San Siro crowd will want to see better from their side though, as Inter have won just four of their last eight home league games (D3, L1), conceding 12 goals in that sequence – that’s more than two thirds of their overall seasonal tally in Serie A![/p]
[p]A glimmer of hope therefore exists for an Empoli side who’ve failed to score in the last four H2Hs (L4) – including the reverse fixture (L 3-0). A run of just two wins in ten Serie A matches since that defeat (D3, L5), bookended by an active five-match winless run (D1, L4) leaves them just two points clear of the relegation zone heading into the weekend.[/p]
[p]Head coach Roberto D’Aversa could do without facing old nemesis Inzaghi, a manager he’s failed to beat in 11 previous meetings (D1, L10). That’s a career-high, but Empoli’s impressive away form could offer him hope as they’ve lost just three times on the road across all competitions this term (W5, D4). Ominously, one of those came on this ground against AC Milan (3-0), while the other two came against sides starting the round inside the top-four alongside Inter![/p]
[p]Players to watch: Inter wing-back Federico Dimarco has scored a career-high three times against Empoli, with the Nerazzurri winning ‘to nil’ on each occasion. Sebastiano Esposito has scored six of his seven league goals this season in away games, five of which have been Empoli’s last goal of the match.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Inter are the only team yet to trail at half-time in Serie A this season (HT: W10, D9).[/p]
[p][i]Written by Sridhar B [/i][/p]