With a narrow lead at the top of the Serie A table, Juventus will continue their furious second-half name hunt when they host Empoli in the Italian first half of the season on Saturday.
Since the 4-2 loss to Sassuolo at the end of September, Juve have scored 42 of 46 imaginable goals in their last 16 league games, adding to a run of five consecutive victories in which they have outscored their rivals by 11- 2. .
They are one point above Inter at the top of the table, despite having played a game more than the aforementioned opponents. Still, with Juventus excluded from European festivals this season and able to concentrate only on domestic festivals, it has thrived.
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Empoli sits at the other end of the table, in 19th place, as it fights a packed and frenetic relegation battle. A comprehensive 3-0 win last time out against Monza gave them a big boost, taking two points off safety, but much more will be needed in the coming months if they are to continue top-flight football next season.
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The win over Monza last time out was fun and gave Empoli a foundation on which to build their relegation battle, but it’s not the kind of dazzling functionality that indicated they could pose a frustrated risk to either contender for Italy’s name.
Juventus are too fit, especially in attack, to stay in this match, especially for one of the most porous defensive teams in Serie A. And while Empoli have conceded 35 goals in 21 games this year, the fifth-most in the league, their lack of finishing allows them to record 14 goals, the lowest figure in the league this year. This is not a recipe for good luck against a defensively strong and in-form team like Juve.
Juventus love to score late goals in games that are already over, while Empoli are adept at conceding those kinds of opportunities. Juve have scored a goal in the 75th minute or later in 4 of their last five games, while Empoli have conceded 14 goals in that 15-minute interval, the most of any Serie A team.
Even between those two clubs, Juve have scored in the 75th minute or later in each of the last three meetings, adding Federico Chiesa’s 82nd-minute consolation in a 4-1 win over Empoli last May. While Empoli kept the game going until the early stages of the game, Juve enjoy their football and deserve to find something in the final stretch, whether the game is in progress or still in play.
Weston McKennie is officially on fire. The American midfielder has come alive in recent months for Juventus, notching up four assists in his last five appearances for the club in all competitions, while Dusan Vlahovic and young upstart Kenan Yildiz have to find their shooting boots after a slow start.
Even more than his creative contributions, however, McKennie is beyond overdue for a goal. He has, somehow, yet to score this season, despite 2.95 xG on the year in league play, 2.03 of which has come in the last four Serie A matches. It appeared he had finally found the net in their last game, a 3-0 win over Lecce, but Vlahovic stole the goal with a needless touch on the line to nod the ball in.
You can get McKennie to score 450, which is excellent value for money, but given its creativity, we’ll stick with the more discreet pick, which still seems to be falsely returnable.
Juventus vs Empoli can be streamed on Paramount, which offers a free trial. In Canada you can watch the game on Fubo and in the UK it will be available on Discovery.
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