20.10.2024 | 
Napoli is on top of Serie A, and in order to stay there, they need to beat a team they didn’t even score a goal against last season. Empoli does not seem like a real threat, but their defense can be a problem for the visitors.
Empoli and Napoli meet on 20.10.2024, in a clash between two teams with completely different ambitions. The game takes place at Stadio Carlo Castellani in Empoli on Sunday.
| Empoli | Sunday, 20.10.2024, 06:30 EST | Napoli |
| 1 | x | 2 |
| 5,60 | 3,80 | 1,68 |
Empoli – Napoli: Initial situation
Napoli is in great form coming off three consecutive wins, while Empoli suffered their only loss in the last nine games in the previous round. Can they bounce back against the leader?
Empoli Stats & Form
Empoli has one of the best starts of the season in a while and their new coach Roberto D’Aversa deserves all the respect for that. Empoli is among four teams that sit in the middle of the standings with 10 points. They are coming off a 2-1 loss to Lazio, which was two of only four goals they allowed in seven games so far in the season. Empoli is second-to-last in the league with only 8.6 shots per game and are at the very bottom with 35.2% possession. Lorenzo Colombo, Sebastiano Esposito and Emmanuel Gyasi have scored two goals each.
Napoli Stats & Form
Napoli is off to a great start to the season and they are on top of the standings with 16 points, two more than Inter and three more than Juventus. Winning 5 of seven games is something Napoli’s fans can be happy with and the dream of winning another title after 2022 is back to life. Empoli is on a three-game winning streak and comes off a 3-1 victory over Como but winning only one of three road games, shows that they will have to do something more to stay on top. Napoli shares the fourth place in the league with 14 goals and ranks tenth with 14.3 shots on goal per game. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Romelu Lukaku lead the team with three goals each.
Empoli – Napoli: Head to Head
Empoli and Napoli have equally split the last 10 head-to-head games with both teams winning five in stat span. They haven’t played a tie in the last 12 games. Last season, Empoli won both games by 1-0. Five of the last six games between these two teams finished under 2.5 goals in total.
Empoli – Napoli: Odds
Napoli is the favorite going into this game with the odds of 1,68 in their favor. Empoli stands at 5,60 while the draw is at 3,80. The total goal line is set at 2.5 with 2,08 for over and 1,80 for under.
Top 3 Betting Odds
| Empoli – Napoli Betting Tip | Odds |
| Under 2,5 goals | 1,80 |
| Under 1,5 goals | 3,25 |
| First half: Draw | 2,28 |
Betting tip and prediction: Empoli – Napoli (20.10.2024)
Empoli has been surviving in Serie A for the last three seasons, finishing just above the relegation zone. Last year, they literally escaped going down to Serie B for only one point. Despite their poor results, there is one team that has been having trouble against them, and that team is Napoli. Empoli won both games against “The Little Donkeys” last year, and those six points made a huge difference when the bill came down for payment. Roberto D’Aversa took over the coaching job at Empoli this offseason, and the team plays much better than last year. They are still defensively oriented, and having only one loss in seven games so far in the season is a great result for the team from Tuscany. That lone loss came in the last matchday against Lazio with a late goal six minutes from time. It will be interesting to see if Empoli can put that loss away and regain their composure against the top team in the standings. Napoli was on top of the world after winning the title in 2022, but finishing 10th last year was a major breakdown. The team made many changes in the offseason, and the most important among them was the signing of Antonio Conte as the new head coach. The legend of Italian football came at the right moment to boost the team, and Napoli is again aggressive on the offensive end. They are second in the league in offensive rating and are in the top five in goals scored and shots on target. Staying on top of the league in front of Juventus and Inter demands consistent effort, and following three consecutive wins in Serie A and Coppa Italia, that consistency may come to an end on Sunday. Empoli did not allow any goals to Napoli in both games last season and will definitely have the same game plan for this one. Napoli averages 47% possession per contest, a number that will go up in this game. However, it will take a long time before any team scores, so we go with under 2.5 goals in total.