Aiming to continue their improvement since changing coach, Serie A strugglers Empoli host mid-table Genoa on Saturday.
The Tuscan side held Scudetto contenders Juventus to a draw last week, while their visitors are unbeaten since mid-December.
Match preview
© Reuters
Before Davide Nicola walked through the door at Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli had been without a single Serie A victory since upsetting Napoli in November, with their last home win coming several weeks earlier, against relegation rivals Salernitana.
In two games since, the survival specialist has tweaked the Azzurri's formation and secured immediate results: first his new team beat Monza 3-0, then they travelled to Turin and stopped second-placed Juventus in their tracks.
Last weekend, Tommaso Baldanzi's second-half strike pulled Empoli level against their 10-man hosts - who are fighting it out with Inter Milan for the Italian title - and it ended 1-1 at the Allianz Stadium.
Nicola has previously rescued Crotone, Salernitana and Genoa from the drop, but he still has plenty of work ahead to pull off a similar escape this season: Empoli are one point adrift of safety and have the league's least effective attack.
The much-coveted Baldanzi departed for Roma just as the transfer window slid shut, but Empoli must now focus on overcoming Genoa, with whom they have drawn in their last three league meetings.
© Reuters
In fact, Genoa are unbeaten in their last eight games against Empoli, and they may fancy their chances of extending that streak given some fine form over the past few weeks.
Following last Sunday's comeback victory against Lecce, which saw goals from Mateo Retegui and Caleb Ekuban turn the game on its head during the final 20 minutes, Alberto Gilardino's men are situated safely in mid-table, 10 points clear of danger.
Genoa have now rescued 11 points from losing positions this term - including six in their last two outings - which is more than any other side in Serie A. To put that into context, in their relegation campaign of 2021-22, the Ligurians picked up just 12 points in that manner throughout the whole season.
Such resilience has helped them stay undefeated for seven league matches, including each of their last three on the road. The latter sequence equals the club's best run since 2020, when Nicola was in charge at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Last term's Serie B runners-up look ever more likely to achieve their aim of staying afloat in the top flight, and having held on to star man Albert Gudmundsson during the winter transfer window, they could even target a top-half finish.
Team News
© Reuters
Davide Nicola's first major change after taking the reins in Tuscany was to set Empoli up in a 3-5-2 formation, and he should continue with that shape on Saturday, when Stiven Shpendi and Nicolo Cambiaghi will vie with recent arrivals M'Baye Niang and Alberto Cerri to start up front.
Fellow forward Francesco Caputo is still unavailable due to an ankle problem, while ex-Genoa striker Mattia Destro is also unlikely to feature; defensive duo Simone Bastoni and Tyronne Ebuehi are both sidelined by thigh injuries.
Meanwhile, in midfield, Szymon Zurkowski recently returned to Stadio Castellani on loan from Spezia, and a spectacular burst of four goals in three games already makes him Empoli's top scorer this season.
Albert Gudmundsson is Genoa's leading marksman on nine league goals, but Mateo Retegui has also chipped in with five and scored in both of his last two matches.
They will have fresh competition from new signing Vitinha, who has been brought in from Marseille, where he failed to find his feet after moving from Portugal. Sheriff Tiraspol striker David Ankeye has also joined the Grifone, for whom Junior Messias is the most notable injury absentee.
Midfielders Milan Badelj and Morten Frendrup both return from suspension, but boss Alberto Gilardino will be banned from the touchline.
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Caprile; Ismajli, Walukiewicz, Luperto; Bereszynski, Maleh, Grassi, Zurkowski, Gyasi; Cambiaghi, Cerri
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; De Winter, Bani, Vasquez; Sabelli, Frendrup, Badelj, Malinovskyi, Spence; Gudmundsson; Retegui
We say: Empoli 1-2 Genoa
In-form Genoa can make it three wins on the spin by triumphing in Tuscany this weekend, when Empoli's revival will be brought to a halt. The Grifone's forwards are starting to fire, and Alberto Gilardino clearly has his side well drilled.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
