Empoli will host Genoa on Sunday at the Stadio Carlo Castellani with the Ligurian side still in the hunt for three points as they continue to chase Europa League qualification.
The corresponding fixture in the first half of the season ended in stalemate after the Grifone took an early lead only for the visitors to equalise late on. Both sides will be happy with how the 2014-15 Serie A season has gone so far with Genoa in the hunt for continental football, three points behind local rivals Sampdoria but with a game in hand in seventh.
Meanwhile, Empoli are doing an admirable job of consolidating their Serie A status and are eight points above the relegation zone in 13th place with 28 points.
Genoa will have some pressure on them to get a result but the Azzurri will have faith in their abilities. The Tuscans are unbeaten in five and they have won their last two home games.
The Rossoblu are heading to Tuscany in some solid form of their own, unbeaten in four while their form on the road has changed for the better following a win at Lazio and a draw in the derby against Sampdoria. Prior to that the Grifone had lost four consecutive away games but the ship seems to have been steadied in recent weeks.
Empoli will be without the important young Albanian defender Elseid Hysaj due to suspension after the 21-year-old picked up his fourth yellow card of the season during the Tuscan’s 0-0 draw away at Palermo. The influential trio of Massimo Maccarone, Mirko Valdifiori and Lorenzo Tonelli will also have to be careful when Genoa come to town as all three are a booking away from a suspension of their own.
The Rossoblu have no suspensions for the trip but the Argentine playmaker Tino Costa is a doubt and will likely have to sit out injured. Iago Falque, Tomas Rincon and Juraj Kucka will all have to make sure that they’re on their best behaviour as all three are one yellow card away from a suspension that will keep them out of the next home fixture against Chievo.
Empoli forward Maccarone will be one to watch after he scored five goals from five and he will be eager to get back to goalscoring ways after Palermo denied him the honour of scoring in five consecutive games.
Genoa will be hoping that M’Baye Niang can continue with his development as a striker after the striker scored his first Serie A goals in a 5-2 demolition of Hellas Verona.
Form Guide: Empoli ( L-D-W-D-W-D) Genoa (D-L-D-W-W-D)
Expected Starting XIs
Empoli: Sepe; Laurini, Rugani, Tonelli, Mario Rui; Vecino, Valdifiori, Croce; Saponara Tavano, Maccarone
Genoa: Perin; Roncaglia, Burdisso, De Maio; Rincon, Bertolacci, Kucka, Edenilson, Iago Falque, Perotti; Niang
