While Lazio are behind most of the usual favourites in Serie A, they topped the Europa League table after their 4-1 trashing over Nice. Now come Empoli, easily the most interesting team in the league this season.
The mediocre season start seems to be behind the Eagles who picked up a third consecutive win this Thursday. More importantly, they scored 10 goals in the last three fixtures, as veteran manager Marco Baroni finally discovered how to get the best out of his squad.
But he has not yet faced a team quite like Empoli. Most sides in the league play open, fast football. Empoli’s ultra-defensive style will test Baroni’s tactical mind, as Lazio will face a wall in defence.
The Empoli Blues boast their best Serie A start in their history, winning 10 points in six rounds to date. The manner in which they achieved them is what makes them the most interesting team in the league.
One would say their performance is a pleasant surprise while the next person would say their football is boring. Empoli have scored only five goals to date and only bottom-end teams have scored fewer. But their defence has been exceptional. They conceded only twice in six rounds, with Juventus being the only team with better defensive stats.
How the bookies view it: Good odds on both ends
Lazio are the obvious favourites but not without some value in the odds. Betano priced them at 3/5 while the visitors sit at 51/10 to win. Alternatively, you can bet on the draw at 29/10.
Recent head-to-head: 10 years of Lazio
Based on their recent form, Empoli have a better chance of beating Lazio now than at any point in the last few years. Their last triumph over the Eagles dates back to 2015 when they won 1-0 at home. Since then, they failed 11 times in a row, with Lazio winning nine out of the 11 fixtures.
Players to watch: He will get booked again
Since this is a tough matchup with teams that practise completely opposite styles, we would suggest not betting any money on potential goalscorers. Instead, consider Emmanuel Gyasi to get booked. This will be his ninth match against Lazio in his career. He lost all eight before that and got four yellow cards.
Probable line-ups
Lazio: Mandas, Marusic, Patric, Gila, Pellegrini, Guendouzi, Dele-Bashiru, Vecino, Tchaouna, Castellanos, Pedro
Empoli: Vasquez, Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti, Gyasi, Pezzella, Grassi, Anjorin, Henderson, Esposito, Colombo
Anything else catch the eye?
After following Lazio since the start of the season and knowing their stats, it is hard to bet on an Under in this match. No team has had more goals than the Eagles this season, an average of 3.7 per match.
But on the away end, we have the team with the fewest goals. Empoli have had an average of 1.2 goals per match in six rounds. Moreover, Lazio won the last three H2Hs without conceding a single goal.
Unless the Eagles underestimate the visitors, we expect a slow match and a low number of goals. Lazio should win 1-0 or 2-0 at best.
This Serie A match between Lazio and Empoli will be played on Oct 6, 2024 and kick off at 14:00. Check below for our tipsters best Lazio vs Empoli prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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