Serie A

Empoli vs. Roma, three crucial points

Empoli host Roma and are looking to get out of the relegation zone while the Giallorossi want to keep up their amazing form

It’s a really interesting match at the Castellani Computer Gross Arena at 18:00 CET. Last time out, Empoli had to settle for a draw against Genoa and they are looking for their first win since 8 December 2024 (against Verona) to get out of the relegation zone. Roma, on the other hand, are still flying under Ranieri and are dreaming of European football. Their goals will be to continue their ongoing streak of 11 games without defeat, and their most recent run of four consecutive wins, to climb the table.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Empoli have won their last two league games against Roma (2-1 in May and August 2024), after winning just three of their previous 31 Serie A games against the Giallorossi (D5 L23). Four of Empoli's five Serie A wins against Roma have come at Castellani stadium. The Azzurri could win two consecutive home games against the Giallorossi for only the second time in the top-flight, also doing so between October 2005 and February 2007.

DID YOU KNOW?

Empoli have won a smaller proportion of their total Serie A points this season in home games than any other side (36% - 8/22). Roma have won their last four league games and the Giallorossi could win five consecutive Serie A matches for the first time since November 2017 under Eusebio Di Francesco. Empoli have scored the fewest home goals (5 in 13 games) in the big-5 European leagues this season and only two teams in Serie A history have netted fewer goals after 13 home games in a single season: Sampdoria in 2022/23 (3) and Mantova in 1967/68 (3). After keeping back-to-back clean sheets in away games at Venezia and Parma, Roma could keep three clean sheets in a row away from home in Serie A for the first time since September/October 2019. Only Bayern Munich (25) have picked up more points than Roma (23 in nine games) in 2025 in the big-5 European leagues. The Giallorossi have also scored the most goals (18) in Serie A this calendar year and have conceded the joint-fewest goals in 2025 (6 - level with Atalanta and Juventus).

PLAYERS

Lorenzo Colombo has been involved in seven goals (five goals, two assists) in 27 Serie A appearances this season: with a goal or assist, he would set his personal record in a single season in the competition (also 7 in 2022/23 with Lecce in 33 games). In addition, Roma are one of three sides, along with Atalanta and Sampdoria, against which he has both scored and provided an assist in Serie A. Only Mateo Retegui (10) and Mattia Zaccagni (7) have been involved in more Serie A goals than Alexis Saelemaekers (6 - four goals and two assists) in 2025 (Randal Kolo Muani and Romelu Lukaku - also six). The Belgian winger has also this season set his personal record for goal involvements in a single season across the big-10 European leagues (8 - six goals and two assists. Artem Dovbyk (nine goals in 2024-25) could become the third Roma player to score 10+ goals in his debut Serie A campaign since 2000, after Tammy Abraham (17 goals in 2021/22) and Borja Mayoral (10 goals in 2020/21).

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: Mancini (Roma) Cautioned: Cacace and Gyasi (Empoli); Pellegrini and Saelemaekers (Roma)

REFEREE

DI BELLO (PERROTTI – MASTRODONATO) IV: BONACINA VAR: PATERNA AVAR: MASSA

UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A

Torino-Empoli (Saturday 15 March, 20.45 CET) Roma-Cagliari (Sunday 16 March, 16.00 CET) (Photo Getty Images)