Despite having little left to play for, Inter and Empoli will both be looking to finish the season strongly in their final Serie A game when they face off at Stadio Meazza on Sunday evening.
The best another three points can do for Roberto Mancini’s side is to take them above Sampdoria into seventh place on goal difference should the Blucerchiati lose to Parma.
The Nerazzurri come off the back of a 3-2 defeat to Genoa and their indifferent form this season has seen them win thirteen, draw thirteen and lose eleven games.
Mancini will be hoping for a fresh start next season having only returned to the club in November and finishing Sunday’s game on a high may raise optimism after an otherwise disappointing season.
The visitors on the other hand will be a lot happier with their performance this season and have comfortably avoided relegation after coming up from Serie B.
Standout performers for the Azzurri have included midfielder Mirko Valdifiori and veteran striker Massimo Maccarone, who at 35 years old has grabbed a respectable haul of ten goals this season.
Maccarone’s season is over however as he will be missing on Sunday through suspension.
In seventeen previous meetings between the sides Inter have won thirteen times, Empoli have won twice and two games have ended in a draw.
The latest meeting was in January at the Stadio Carlo Castellani and ended goalless.
Mancini will be without the suspended Danilo D’Ambrosio as well as the injured Jonathan, Dodo, Fredy Guarin, Hugo Campagnaro and Nemanja Vidic.
Maurizio Sarri meanwhile has no injuries to deal with but is of course missing top scorer Maccarone through suspension.
Form Guide: Inter (W-W-D-W-L-L), Empoli (D-W-W-L-L-D)
Expected Starting XIs
Inter: Handanovic; Nagatomo, Juan Jesus, Ranocchia, Santon; Brozovic, Medel, Kovacic, Hernanes; Palacio, Icardi
Empoli: Bassi; Hysaj, Barba, Rugani, Laurini; Croce, Valdifiori, signorelli, Saponara; Mchedlidze, Pucciarelli
