Let's dive right into this scrumptious platter of Serie A football. We're eyeballing a classic Empoli vs Fiorentina showdown. As we sift through the delicious stats, let's not forget we're missing some notable tidbits about Empoli's goaltending conditions -- a key ingredient in any football soup.
David De Gea is busy guarding the Fiorentina's net with a 7.45 rating and 9 saves while Pietro Terracciano is giving him a hand with his 6.30 rating and a solitary save. On the opposite side, Devis Vásquez of Empoli is holding the fort with a 7.13 rating and 8 saves.
The gladiators on the field all have a palatable rating. Moise Kean and Robin Gosens are stealing the show for Fiorentina with 2 goals and a goal respectively. Flicking the switch to Empoli, we got Sebastiano Esposito and Emmanuel Gyasi putting up numbers with a goal each.
Taking a sweet walk down memory lane, the previous matchups showcase a minor revelation. They have been knitting a homely draw pattern for a while, except for that time when Empoli outfoxed Fiorentina 2-0. Cozy, ain't it?
This year's regular-season records, though, are a whole different casserole. Empoli seems to have a firm grip on reality, sporting a 2-3-0 record whereas Fiorentina is tad wobbly with their 1-3-1.
The recent games have served us contrasting dishes. Fiorentina has been sizzling and fizzling alternatively with a 2-1 win against Lazio, a 3-2 loss to Atalanta and a couple of 2-2 draws. Empoli, on the other hand, has been rather bland with a 2-0 win over Cagliari and an array of draws against Juventus, Bologna, Roma, and Monza.
To rest my case, it seems like a finely balanced scale, but I think the gods of football might just tip it in favor of Empoli. So, after this long-winded, no-holds-barred discussion, here it is:
Albert’s Prediction: Empoli by 1