Lecce vs. Empoli in the race for survival

It’s a big game with relegation ramifications between Lecce and Empoli at the Via del Mare. After a victory over Verona in midweek, the Giallorossi couldn’t repeat the feat against Bologna at the weekend and will be hoping to move out of last place. Empoli have six points more after they beat Como at the weekend – their first victory after a five-game winless run. The Azzurri will be hoping for three more points to lift them further away from the danger zone.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Following the win in the last match against Empoli in Serie A (1-0 at Via del Mare, thanks to Nicola Sansone's goal, on 13rd April), Lecce could win back-to-back games against the Toscani for the first time in the competition. Lecce are unbeaten in four of their five Serie A home matches against Empoli (W2 D2) with their only defeat on their own patch against them coming on 8th February 2006 (2-1 thanks to Sergio Almirón’s and Francesco Tavano’s goals for the Toscani and Cristian Ledesma‘s for the Pugliesi).

DID YOU KNOW?

Lecce have only scored four goals in their last 14 Serie A games, failing to score 11 times and also conceding an average of 1.7 goals per match in this period (24 goals conceded in total during this period) – their goal difference of -20 during this period is the worst of all sides (from 10 May to today). Empoli have only conceded nine goals after their first 11 matches in Serie A this season, the joint fewest they’ve conceded at this stage of a top-flight campaign (also nine in 2006/07 finishing 7th). In 21 Serie A games as Lecce manager, Luca Gotti has an average of 1.00 point per game, while Roberto D'Aversa recorded an average of 0.89 per match in the 28 games in which he managed the Salentini last term (in 2023/24). Empoli have kept a clean sheet in five of their 11 matches in Serie A this season (equaling their best tally at this point of a season in the top flight, set in 1998/99): only Juventus (eight) and Napoli (seven) have collected more than the Toscani (five, level with Fiorentina and Inter) in the league this season.

PLAYERS

Lameck Banda scored his last goal in Serie A against Empoli at Castellani on 11th December 2023: the Toscani are the only team against which he has netted at least one goal and provided at least one assist in the top-flight. Mattia Viti is the defender with the most tackles (21) in Serie A this season; furthermore, among Empoli players, he has won the most duels (59) and he is one of the two with the most interceptions (19 level with Ardian Ismaijli) in the league in 2024/25.

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: none Cautioned: none

REFEREE

SACCHI (DEI GIUDICI – PERROTTI) IV: COSSO, VAR: MAGGIONI, AVAR: LA PENNA

UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A

Venezia-Lecce (Monday 25 November, 20:45 CET) Empoli-Udinese (Monday 25 November, 18:30 CET) (Photo Getty Images)