Empoli host Serie A’s bottom club Parma at the Stadio Carlo Castellani at 1500CET on Sunday.
The hosts know they can rise to a heady 12th in the league table if they can dispatch the Ducali, who’s fixture with Palermo the following weekend could confirm relegation if they lose in Tuscany.
It shows how times have changed that Parma have won 10 of the 15 league meetings between the sides, which included four victories in five before the Azzurri sealed their only away win of the campaign so far with a 2-0 reverse at the Ennio Tardini in November.
On that afternoon, Matias Vecino and Francesco Tavano scored either side of half-time to condemn the Crociati to their 11th defeat of the opening 12 games.
Maurizio Sarri’s side will hope to get back on-form, having been dispatched by Juventus and Lazio in their last two outings after going eight games without a loss.
That means they currently sit 11 points clear of the relegation zone in their first Serie A season since 2008, with a tough final run of fixtures seeing the Tuscans play five of the top ten in their last six fixtures. A win may allow glances towards next season and pushing up the league.
Parma, meanwhile, had experienced a pleasing up-turn in form that included a shock 1-0 defeat of leaders Juventus in recent weeks – but fell 2-0 away to Genoa on Wednesday night for their first defeat in three matches.
The Crociati faithful’s hopes will therefore be dampened further, not least with the knowledge that their side has the leakiest away defence in the league – conceding 33 from 14 outings.
That leaves the Gialloblu 17 points from safety with only 24 left to play for in 2014/15. With financial woes eased for the final weeks of the season, all attention will return to the future of the club when the seemingly inevitable relegation is confirmed.
The hosts may be without winger Simone Verdi (thigh) and Federico Barba – both doubts – while Tiberio Guarente continues his spell on the sidelines (knee).
Meanwhile, Roberto Donadoni’s Parma will be missing Jonathan Biabiany (heart), Danielle Galloppa (knee), Pedro Mendes (leg) and Giuseppe Prestia but Alessandro Lucarelli and Jose Mauri both returned against Genoa so should be available once again.
Form Guide: Empoli (D-D-D-W-L-L), Parma (L-L-D-W-W-L)
Expected Starting XIs
Empoli: Sepe; Hysaj, Barba, Rugani, Rui; Vecino, Valdifiori, Croce; Saponara; Pucciarelli, Maccarone.
Parma: Mirante; Santacroce, Lucarelli, Feddal; Varela, Mauri, Lodi, Nocerino, Gobbi; Belfodil, Palladino.
