On Saturday evening at Stadio Castellani, two unbeaten teams face off as Empoli hosts Serie A powerhouse Juventus.
Juventus have had a stellar start under their new manager, Thiago Motta, impressively keeping a clean sheet so far this season. Meanwhile, Empoli has been unexpectedly strong early in the 2024-25 campaign.
Despite a disappointing goalless draw with Roma before the international break, where they managed only two shots on target, Juventus have shown a refreshed and more aggressive style under Motta.
They’ve scored six goals without conceding any in their first two games, putting them at the top of the Serie A standings. With several new signings and young players making an impact, they’re tied with Udinese, Inter Milan, and Torino on seven points.
Juventus will look to continue their winning form this weekend before their highly anticipated Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven next week.
Juve has also been incredibly efficient, facing the fewest shots on target in Europe’s top leagues (just two) and boasting the best shot-conversion rate in Serie A (21%). They’ve also had the highest pass completion rate (90%), which should give them plenty of confidence as they seek their seventh win in eight visits to Stadio Castellani.
Although Empoli has struggled historically against Juventus at home, they managed a surprising 4-1 victory over them less than two years ago and held them to a 1-1 draw in their last meeting in January.
Empoli is currently unbeaten in the 2024-25 season, with a Coppa Italia win against Catanzaro, two draws, and a standout 2-1 away win over Roma. Despite new coach Roberto D'Aversa being sidelined due to a ban, Empoli has performed well, remaining undefeated in their first three Serie A games for only the second time ever.
Their solid form at home, where they’ve won four of their last six matches across all competitions, suggests they could make it tough for Juventus to secure three points on Saturday.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Khephren Thuram and Timothy Weah, who missed some games before the international break, appear to have shaken off their injuries and should be available as Serie A resumes this week. Nico Gonzalez is also expected to be ready to compete for his first start of the season.
Thiago Motta will have another option with summer signing Teun Koopmeiners, who was not selected by the Netherlands after a lengthy transfer process that saw him join Juventus. However, Sergio Conceicao, another new arrival, will miss out due to a muscle injury.
Motta has been known to make unexpected choices, including giving opportunities to young players like Nicolo Savona and Samuel Mbangula. Still, it’s clear that Dusan Vlahovic will lead the attack—he’s scored four Serie A goals against Empoli, including his first brace for Juventus.
For Empoli, the surprising top scorer this season is Ghanaian winger Emmanuel Gyasi, who has found the net in his last two games, including an equalizer against Bologna in their previous match.
Head coach Roberto D'Aversa, who remains banned from the touchline, will be missing Samuele Perisan, Szymon Zurkowski, and Tyronne Ebuehi due to injuries. However, Giuseppe Pezzella (muscular issue) and Jacopo Fazzini (hip) might be fit to play.
New signing Mattia De Sciglio, who joined late in the transfer window, could make his debut against his former club, either as a right-sided defender in a three-man backline or as a wing-back.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Vasquez; De Sciglio, Ismajli, Viti; Gyasi, Henderson, Grassi, Pezzella; Solbakken, Esposito; Colombo
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Savona, Gatti, Bremer, Cabal; Locatelli, Fagioli; Cambiaso, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic
EXPERT PREDICTION
Torino 1-2 Juventus
Juventus, now with a refreshed look, is expected to get back on track this weekend by defeating Empoli and maintaining their pressure on Inter, who are also contenders for the title. With many of their summer signings now fit and well-integrated, the visiting team has become quite a formidable force.
