Empoli vs Inter Milan 29/12/18

29 December 2018

After an encouraging 1-0 home triumph over Napoli, Inter Milan will tackle a vulnerable Empoli side at the Stadio Carlo Castellani looking to secure back-to-back Serie A wins for the first time in two months.

The hosts have racked up a frustrating three-game losing streak in Serie A, conceding at least three goals per match in each encounter. However, the Blues have clinched three straight home wins before suffering a 4-2 loss to Sampdoria as Giuseppe Iachini hopes to see his players replicating that kind of performance against tough visitors. Empoli’s main problem relates to their poor defensive displays that have seen them failing to keep a clean sheet in eight out of nine home games this season. On the other hand, the Tuscan-based outfit scored in seven home meetings so far, bagging a minimum of two goals per match five times in the process.

Although they sit third in the table, having achieved 36 points after the opening 18 league fixtures, the Nerazzurri are not going through the best of times. A turbulent period has seen Luciano Spalleti clinching just three wins in their last ten games across all competitions. Moreover, the Milan-based giants secured two victories in their previous five Serie A matches, with both of those wins ending with the identical 1-0 scoreline in Inter’s favor. The 2009-10 Champions League winners are winless in their last four road games in Serie A, having suffered two defeats while playing out two draws in the process. Immense problems in the final third have seen Inter scoring one goal or less in six out of their last seven competitive games, with Mauro Icardi and his fellow teammates failing to score more than one goal per match five times in a row.

Provisional line-up – Empoli:

Gk: Provedel Defense: Antonelli – Rasmussen – Silvestre – Veseli Midfield: Krunic – Benaccer – Hamed Traore – Capezzi Attack: Caputo – Mraz

Provisional line-up – Inter Milan:

Gk: Handanovic Defense: Asamoah – Stefan de Vrij – Skriniar – D’Ambrosio Midfield: Gagliardini – Borja Valero – Joao Mario Attack: Perisic – Politano – Icardi