Serie A

AC Milan vs. Empoli to get back to winning ways

Both AC Milan and Empoli come into this game off the back of two consecutive draws: both needing a win to get back on track

A win is the objective: AC Milan host Empoli at 18:00 CET and will aim to win in a bid to gain ground on the Champions League spots, they currently sit nine points off (but the rossoneri have a game in hand).

Empoli are three points behind, and are looking for a big result at San Siro. It would increase their unbeaten run to four games, to give them some distance from the drop zone in the league and enable them to dream big and look up the table.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

AC Milan have won six of their last seven Serie A matches (D1) against Empoli, keeping a clean sheet in five of those games, including the last three. All three of Empoli's victories in their 32 Serie A encounters (D9 L20) against Milan have come at San Siro: in 2003, 2007 and the most recent in 2017.

DID YOU KNOW?

AC Milan have 19 points this season (W5 D4 L3). Since the introduction of three points for a win (from the 1994/95 season), the Rossoneri have only finished in the top three once in 11 instances where they gathered fewer than 19 points after the first 12 Serie A matches – in 2012/13, when they finished third. Empoli have drawn their last two league matches 1-1 (against Lecce and Udinese) and could end three consecutive matches with a 1-1 draw for the first time in their Serie A history. AC Milan is the only team yet to score a goal from outside the box in Serie Athis season; the last long-range goal by the Rossoneri was back in May against Cagliari (scored by Tijjani Reijnders). Meanwhile, Empoli have hadthe fewest shots from outside the box in the current league season (39, 12 fewer than Milan), but from those, two goals have been scored

PLAYERS

Milan’s Tammy Abraham has scored more Serie A goals against Empoli than any other opponent (4). Having scored against Cagliari last time out, the English striker is looking to score in consecutive league games for the first time since March 2022. Pietro Pellegri has already scored three goals (one in each of his last three matches) in nine games of this season – as many as in the previous two Serie A seasons, but in 42 matches with Torino. Since the introduction of three points for a win (from the 1994/95 season), only two Empoli players have scored in four consecutive league games: Francesco Tavano (2006) and Massimo Maccarone (2015).

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: none Cautioned: Fofana (Milan), Cacace (Empoli)

REFEREE

DIONISI (GARZELLI – YOSHIKAWA) IV: RUTELLA, VAR: PAIRETTO, AVAR: PAGNOTTA

UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A

Atalanta-Milan (friday 5 december, 20.45 CET) Hellas Verona-Empoli (sunday 8 december, 15.00 CET ) (Photo LaPresse)