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Napoli are back in action with a crucial fixture in the Coppa Italia this week as they lock horns with Empoli at the Stadio San Paolo on Wednesday. Napoli have been a resurgent force in the Serie A and will want to win this game.
Empoli have enjoyed an impressive campaign in the Serie B and are one of the favourites for promotion into the Italian top-flight this season. The Tuscan outfit thrashed Brescia by a 3-0 margin in the fourth round of the competition and will want to pull off an upset in this match.
Napoli have recovered from a slow start to their Serie A season and have been impressive over the past few weeks. The Neapolitan giants have an outside chance of winning the Coppa Italia and will have to be at their best against an in-form Empoli side.
Napoli vs Empoli Head-to-Head
Napoli have a surprisingly dismal record against Empoli and have won only four games out of a total of 13 matches played between the two teams. Empoli have stunned Napoli on five different occasions in the past and will want to pull off a similar result in this game.
The previous match between the two teams took place in 2018 and ended in a stunning 5-1 victory for Napoli. Empoli were relegated at the end of the season but have improved over the past two years and have a point to prove this week.
Napoli form guide: W-L-W-D-L
Empoli form guide: W-D-W-D-D
Also Read: 5 managers who have underperformed this season (2020/21)
Napoli vs Empoli Team News
Napoli
Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Mertens are sidelined at the moment and are unlikely to play in this game. Victor Osimhen has tested positive for the coronavirus and has been excluded from the Napoli squad.
Injured: Dries Mertens, Victor Osimhen
Doubtful: Kalidou Koulibaly
Suspended: None
Empoli
Empoli have no major injury concerns of note and will be filled to the brim with confidence going into this game. The away side is the underdog in this fixture and cannot afford to make an error against a strong Napoli outfit.
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Napoli vs Empoli Predicted XI
Napoli Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): David Ospina; Mario Rui, Nikola Maksimovic, Kostas Manolas, Giovanni Di Lorenzo; Tiemoue Bakayoko, Diego Demme; Matteo Politano, Elif Elmas, Lorenzo Insigne; Fernando Llorente
Empoli Predicted XI (4-3-3): Alberto Brignoli; Aleksa Terzic, Nicolo Casale, Simone Romagnoli, Riccardo Fiamozzi; Leo Stulac, Nicolas Haas, Samuele Ricci; Leonardo Mancuso, Stefano Moreo, Andrea La Mantia
Napoli vs Empoli Prediction
Napoli have an impressive squad and the several young players in their ranks will want to make an impact in this match. Gennaro Gattuso has placed plenty of faith in his squad this season and will want a positive result in this game.
Empoli have been impressive in the Serie B but will face a different class of opposition in the Coppa Italia. Napoli are the better team on paper and hold all the cards going into this game.
Prediction: Napoli 3-1 Empoli
Also Read: Fiorentina vs Inter Milan prediction, preview, team news and more | Coppa Italia 2020-21
