Fiorentina welcome Empoli to the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Sunday’s Italian Serie A clash. The hosts are battling to finish in the top four and given their solid home record, they should be too strong for the visitors.
The hosts are in good form at the moment and are unbeaten in their last eight matches in all competitions. They have earned five wins in that run, including a 2-1 victory at Cagliari last time out, a result that moved them within four points of the top four.
La Viola have been particularly impressive at home, winning three of their last four Serie A matches at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. A solid defence has been the foundation of their home form, keeping clean sheets in all four fixtures.
Empoli come into their next match off the back of a 2-1 Coppa Italia loss to Bologna, sealing a 5-1 aggregate exit in the semi-finals. The defeat means they are winless in their last nine matches in all competitions, playing out a 2-2 draw with Venezia last time out in Serie A.
Sitting in the bottom two, Empoli are not down and out yet as they are just one point from safety. However, their recent league form offers an ominous outlook as they are winless in their last 18 Serie A matches, a run stretching back to December.
How the bookies view it: Fiorentina highly fancied
Fiorentina have been installed as overwhelming favourites among the bookies, with a home win priced at 4/5 with BoyleSports. An unlikely Empoli victory is priced at 10/3 while a draw has been set at 23/10 with BoyleSports.
Head to head: Fiorentina on top
Fiorentina have a 13-7 advantage with eight draws from 28 previous matches against Empoli. However both teams battled to a 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture while the visitors knocked La Viola out of the Coppa Italia on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Players to watch: Reliable Kean
Fiorentina will look to top scorer Moise Kean to provide the spark in attack on Sunday. The striker has 17 Serie A goals this season and could be worth considering to score anytime at 6/4 with BoyleSports.
Pablo Mari has been rock solid at the heart of a Fiorentina defence that has kept four consecutive clean sheets at home in the league. He could lead them to another shutout at 6/5.
Probable line-ups
Fiorentina will be without Eduardo Bove and Andrea Colpani who are unavailable due to injuries. However, Mari, Nicolo Fagioli and Kean are expected to start.
Ardian Ismajli, Saba Sazonov, Christian Kouame and Pietro Pellegri are all out injured for Empoli. However, Lorenzo Colombo, Sebastiano Esposito and Jacopo Fazzini are expected to start.
Fiorentina: de Gea, Ranieri, Mari, Pongracic, Parisi, Fagioli, Cataldi, Mandragora, Dodo, Kean, Gudmundsson
Empoli: Llach, Viti, Marianucci, Goglichidze, Cacace, Henderson, Grassi, Gyasi, Fazzini, Esposito and Colombo
Anything else catch the eye?
Fiorentina have won to nil in three of their last four Serie A home matches and a repeat is expected at 9/5 with BoyleSports. The hosts have produced over 1.5 goals in six of their last eight matches in all competitions and a similar outcome is priced at evens with BoyleSports.
There have been goals in both halves in four of Fiorentina's last five matches in all competitions and a similar outcome is valued at 20/21 with BoyleSports.
This Serie A match between Fiorentina and Empoli will be played on and kick off at 14:00. Check below for our tipsters best Fiorentina vs Empoli prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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