Serie A
Empoli vs Monza
Date and time: 17 Aug 2024 at 18:45 UTC
Referee: Michael Fabbri
Stadium: Stadio Carlo Castellani
Location: Empoli, Italy
Match Summary
Empoli will host Monza at Stadio Carlo Castellani in their Serie A season opener. Both teams have had mixed pre-season performances and are eager to start the league campaign on a positive note.
Form and Historical Context
Empoli:
– Mixed pre-season results with a notable win against Catanzaro but losses to Sampdoria and Ingolstadt.
– Ended the last Serie A season with a significant win against Roma but were inconsistent overall.
– Typically uses a 4-4-2 formation, focusing on balanced play with defensive solidity and counter-attacking opportunities.
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Monza:
– Pre-season form includes an encouraging win against Vis Pesaro but losses to AC Milan and Palermo.
– Last season, their inconsistent performance led to defeats in critical matches like against Juventus and Fiorentina.
– Expected to use a 3-4-2-1 formation, emphasizing solid defense and quick transitions.
Predicted Lineups
Empoli (4-4-2):
– Goalkeeper: Devis Vásquez (23)
– Defenders: Ardian Ismajli (34), Mattia Viti (21), Liberato Cacace (13), Giuseppe Pezzella (3)
– Midfielders: Emmanuel Gyasi (11), Nicolas Haas (32), Jacopo Fazzini (10), Liam Henderson (6)
– Forwards: Lorenzo Colombo (29), Sebastiano Esposito (99)
Monza (3-4-2-1):
– Goalkeeper: Semuel Pizzignacco (21)
– Defenders: Armando Izzo (4), Andrea Carboni (44), Pablo Mari (22)
– Midfielders: Samuele Birindelli (19), Matteo Pessina (32), Warren Bondo (38), Giorgos Kyriakopoulos (77)
– Attacking Midfielders: Daniel Maldini (14), Samuele Vignato (80)
– Forward: Mirko Maric (24)
Head-to-Head
– The last competitive match between Empoli and Monza ended in a 3-0 victory for Empoli in January 2024.
– Monza secured a 2-0 win over Empoli in August 2023.
– Historically, matches between the two teams have been fairly competitive with wins for both sides.
Strengths and Considerations
Empoli:
– Strengths: Balanced defense and attack, solid midfield presence, and home advantage.
– Considerations: Inconsistent form and struggle to convert possession into goals against top defenses.
Monza:
– Strengths: Strong defensive lineup, effective midfield play, and threatening set-pieces.
– Considerations: Need to improve consistency and away form performance.
Predicted Outcome
Given Empoli’s home advantage and their recent head-to-head victory over Monza, they are likely to have a slight edge in this encounter. However, Monza’s solid defense and structured play are expected to make this a tightly contested match.
Predicted End Result:
Empoli 1 – 1 Monza
Potential Goalscorers:
– Empoli: Lorenzo Colombo (1)
– Monza: Mirko Maric (1)
While these predictions are based on current form and historical data, football’s unpredictable nature means the actual result may vary. Enjoy the match!
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