Napoli vs. Empoli | Serie A | Pre Match
Napoli vs. Empoli
Aiming to claim a third straight win at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Napoli welcome 18th-placed Empoli in Monday's Serie A action, seeking the maximum points in the gameweek 32 contest that could prove pivotal in their pursuit of the Scudetto. Under Antonio Conte’s meticulous guidance, Napoli have navigated a season of highs and lows, their 2023 championship triumph now a distant memory as they strive to reclaim their place at Italy’s summit. The Partenopei’s recent 1-1 draw against Bologna, while halting the hosts’ six-match winning streak, was a missed opportunity to capitalize on Inter Milan’s stumble at Parma, where the defending champions squandered a 2-0 lead to finish 2-2. Sitting three points behind Inter, Napoli’s title aspirations hinge on moments like these, where consistency and ruthlessness must converge. Facing an Empoli side languishing in the relegation zone, Conte’s men are overwhelming favorites, but the visitors’ history of upsetting Napoli at the Maradona adds a layer of caution to the narrative. Empoli, ravaged by injuries and mired in an eight-game winless run on the road, arrive with little to lose, their survival hopes resting on defying the odds. The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, a cauldron of Neapolitan passion, will demand a performance worthy of their title ambitions, but Conte’s squad, depleted by suspensions and injuries, must navigate a potential banana skin to keep pace with Inter. For Empoli, under Roberto D’Aversa’s embattled leadership, this match is a chance to ignite a miraculous escape, making Monday’s clash a study in contrasting fortunes.
Antonio Conte's men, who held Bologna to a 1-1 draw last time out, could not exploit Inter Milan blowing a 2-0 lead at Parma to draw 2-2 but aim to get the better of injury-hit visitors, who could leave the bottom three with a win in Naples. Napoli’s season has been a curious blend of brilliance and fragility. The draw at Bologna, a notoriously tough venue, showcased their resilience but also underscored a persistent inability to seize critical moments. With Inter faltering, Napoli had a chance to close the gap to a single point, yet their failure to convert dominance into victory left Conte visibly frustrated. Since their scintillating seven-match winning streak culminated in a 2-1 triumph over Juventus in January, Napoli’s form has been maddeningly inconsistent, with just two wins in their subsequent nine matches. Those victories—gritty 2-1 home wins over Fiorentina and AC Milan—have kept them in the title conversation, but their inability to string together results has allowed Inter to maintain their edge. At the Maradona, Napoli have been formidable, dropping points only twice in five games, yet their failure to keep a clean sheet in any of those matches reveals a defensive vulnerability that Empoli will hope to exploit. Conte, a manager renowned for his tactical discipline, has leaned heavily on Romelu Lukaku, whose six match-winning goals lead Serie A, to deliver in clutch moments. However, suspensions to captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo and midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, coupled with injuries to Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola, and Nikita Contini, stretch Napoli’s squad thin. Alex Meret’s uncertain status further complicates matters, with Simone Scuffet ready to deputize. For Napoli, this match is about reasserting their credentials as title contenders, but Empoli’s knack for stunning them in recent visits—1-0 wins in 2021-22 and last season—looms as a warning that nothing can be taken for granted.
While Napoli halted Bologna's six-match winning streak at Dall'Ara Stadium on Monday, the Partenopei could not take advantage of Inter dropping points at Parma, leaving the second-placed side three points behind the defending champions. The broader context of Napoli’s campaign reveals a team wrestling with its own expectations. The 2023 Scudetto, won with a swagger under Luciano Spalletti, set a towering benchmark that Conte has struggled to match. His arrival was heralded as a coup, yet the transition from Spalletti’s free-flowing style to Conte’s more structured approach has not been seamless. February marked a turning point, with Napoli’s form dipping after their Juventus high, their attacking fluency giving way to labored performances. The Maradona has remained a stronghold, with those back-to-back wins over Fiorentina and Milan injecting belief, but the draws against Udinese and Inter exposed a lack of cutting edge. Conte’s insistence on defensive solidity has been undermined by their leaky home record, with opponents finding the net in every match at the Maradona since January. Empoli, despite their struggles, will draw encouragement from this, particularly given their past successes in Naples. For Conte, the challenge is clear: harness Lukaku’s predatory instincts, integrate returning players like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and compensate for the absences of key figures like Di Lorenzo, whose leadership is irreplaceable. With Inter facing Cagliari earlier in the weekend, Napoli could find themselves six points adrift by kickoff, or with a chance to draw level, depending on Simone Inzaghi’s result. The Maradona faithful, ever demanding, will expect a performance that blends passion with precision, but Conte’s meticulous preparation will be tested by an Empoli side that, while wounded, has proven capable of springing surprises.
Further adding to the away side's optimism are their victories in recent visits to the Maradona, notching 1-0 wins in 2021-22 and last season, interspersed with the Partenopei's 2-0 success in the 2022-23 campaign. Empoli’s season, by contrast, has been a grueling battle against relegation. Sitting 18th, two points behind Lecce, their survival hopes are fading, with seven games left to defy the odds. Under D’Aversa, Empoli have struggled for consistency, their eight-match winless streak away from home a damning indictment of their frailties. Scoring just 24 goals in 31 matches, their attack lacks potency, though Sebastiano Esposito (eight goals) and Lorenzo Colombo (five) have shouldered much of the burden, contributing over half of their total. Defensively, they’ve been porous, conceding at an alarming rate, and their injury crisis has only deepened their woes. Tino Anjorin’s status is uncertain, while Ardian Ismajli, Christian Kouame, Marco Silvestri, Nicolas Haas, Pietro Pellegri, Saba Sazonov, Szymon Zurkowski, and Youssef Maleh are all sidelined, leaving D’Aversa with a patchwork squad. Despite these challenges, Empoli’s past triumphs at the Maradona offer a flicker of hope. Those 1-0 victories were built on organization, resilience, and clinical finishing—qualities they’ll need in abundance to upset Napoli. Colombo’s two match-winning goals highlight his knack for decisive moments, and D’Aversa will likely pin his hopes on the young striker to exploit any lapses in Napoli’s defense. A win could lift Empoli out of the bottom three, especially if Lecce falter against Juventus, but their depleted roster and dismal away form make this a monumental task. For D’Aversa, instilling belief in a squad battered by adversity is the first hurdle, but the prospect of derailing Napoli’s title bid could galvanize his players for one last stand.
Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo and midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa both picked up yellow cards in the Bologna draw and will serve one-match bans on Monday, forcing Conte to reshuffle his lineup at a critical juncture. The absence of Buongiorno, Spinazzola, and Contini further limits his options, while Meret’s potential absence adds uncertainty in goal. Lukaku, with 11 goals and a league-leading six match-winners, remains Napoli’s talisman, his physicality and finishing a constant threat. For Empoli, the injury list is a nightmare, with D’Aversa potentially missing nine players. Esposito and Colombo will lead the line, their contributions accounting for over half of Empoli’s goals, but their supporting cast is threadbare. Napoli’s home dominance—unbeaten in their last five at the Maradona—clashes with Empoli’s desperation, setting the stage for a contest defined by disparity. Conte’s men must summon the intensity that fueled their earlier streak, while Empoli need a miracle to repeat their past heroics. As Naples braces for a Monday night showdown, the Maradona will roar, expectant but wary, knowing that in Serie A, nothing is certain until the final whistle.
