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Empoli invite Salernitana to the Stadio Carlo Castellani in their penultimate game of the 2021-22 Serie A season on Saturday.
There's not a lot left to play for the home team in the final two games of the season, as they have guaranteed their top-flight status and a finish in the upper half of the table is no longer in their sights. They have lost two games in a row including a 4-2 loss at Inter Milan last week.
Salernitana's six-game unbeaten run in the league has helped them climb up to 17th place in the standings but the risk of relegation is not yet neutralized. They are only a point above 18th-placed Cagliari and a win here would seal their top-flight status. They did well to play out a 1-1 draw in a tense relegation battle with Cagliari last time around.
Empoli vs Salernitana Head-to-Head
The two clubs have locked horns 34 times across all competitions, with their first meeting dating back to 1948. They have met just three times in Serie A. The hosts enjoy a 15-11 lead in wins while eight games have ended in draws.
The three meetings in Serie A have been evenly contested, with one win apiece and one game ending in a draw. They last met at the Stadio Arechi in league action in October. The game ended in a 4-2 win for Empoli.
Empoli form guide (Serie A): L-L-W-L-D
Salernitana form guide (Serie A): D-W-D-W-W
Empoli vs Salernitana Team News
Empoli
Gli Azzurri continue to be without the services of Nicolas Haas, Riccardo Marchizza and Lorenzo Tonelli due to injuries. Valerio Verre and Petar Stojanovic return from their one-game suspensions.
Emmanuel Ekong remains a doubt while Federico Di Francesco is also expected to sit this one out as he was taken off the pitch with an injury in the previous game.
Injured: Nicolas Haas, Lorenzo Tonelli, Riccardo Marchizza
Doubtful: Emmanuel Ekong, Federico Di Francesco
Suspended: None
Salernitana
Luca Ranieri is a long-term absentee while Mamadou Coulibaly will also be unavailable for the game with an injury. Wajdi Kechrida is a doubt for the trip to Tuscany.
Franck Ribery picked up a red card last time around while Emil Bohinen picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign. The duo will serve a one-match ban here.
Injured: Wajdi Kechrida, Luca Ranieri, Mamadou Coulibaly.
Doubtful: Wajdi Kechrida.
Suspended: Franck Ribery, Emil Bohinen.
Empoli vs Salernitana Predicted XIs
Empoli (4-3-1-2): Guglielmo Vicario (GK); Riccardo Flamozzi, Simone Romagnoli, Sebastiano Luperto, Liberato Cacace; Marco Benassi, Kristjan Asllani, Szymon Zurkowski; Andrea La Mantia; Patrick Cutrone, Andrea Pinamonti
Salernitana (3-5-2): Vid Belec (GK); Federico Fazio, Norbert Gyomber, Matteo Ruggeri; Nadir Zortea, Lassana Coulibaly, Grigoris Kastanos, Ederson, Pasquale Mazzocchi; Simone Verdi, Milan Djuric
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Empoli vs Salernitana Prediction
The hosts have had just one win at home since December while I Granata are undefeated in their last three away games in the league. The game should be a close one and we expect it to end in a high-scoring draw.
Prediction: Empoli 2-2 Salernitana
