Juventus suffered their first defeat of the Serie A season, despite opening the scoring against league leaders Napoli. Their hopes of moving into the top four were dashed as they failed to capitalize on the opportunity. Manager Thiago Motta’s suitability for the job has come under scrutiny once again, with concerns raised due to their recent form. With only one win in their last five league matches, including a 2-0 loss to Benfica in the UEFA Champions League, questions are being asked.
In their last three competitive matches, Juventus have failed to score a goal on two occasions, resulting in a draw and a loss. This means they will have to go through the knockout round play-offs in the Champions League. However, they will be looking to bounce back when they face Empoli, a team they have lost to only once at home in history. Defensive issues have been a problem for Juventus, resulting in dropped points. They have had four 2-2 draws in their last six home league games, but have managed 2-0 wins against AC Milan and Torino.
Empoli would have probably been satisfied with a 1-1 draw against another team participating in the UEFA Champions League and aiming for a top-six finish in the previous round (Bologna). However, this result extended their current winless streak to seven matches (two draws, five losses). It is not surprising that Empoli’s lead over the bottom three teams has decreased to just one point, considering they have only won once in their last 11 league games.
In their last three away matches, Empoli has not managed to secure a victory (one draw, two losses). Furthermore, they have suffered defeat in all three away games against teams currently in the top seven, conceding three goals in each match. Despite these struggles, Empoli has collected more points on their travels this season compared to their home matches (13 points away, 8 points at home). Additionally, they enter this game with an unbeaten record against their opponents in their previous two encounters (two draws), including a goalless draw in the reverse fixture back in September.
Players to keep an eye on: Randal Kolo Muani made an impressive start for Juventus by scoring against Napoli in his debut match. He has a tendency to make a significant impact late in the game, with seven out of his last nine goals for his club coming after the 75-minute mark. This could prove crucial in this match. On the other hand, Empoli’s Lorenzo Colombo has been in fine form, scoring all of his last four goals before halftime and even opening the scoring on three occasions.
Interesting fact: Empoli has been particularly effective in scoring goals away from home before halftime. Out of their 16 away league goals, 12 have been scored before the break, with six of those goals coming in their last four away matches.
