After both ended 2024 in defeat, Venezia and Empoli will be seeking a bright start to the new year on Saturday, when they clash at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo.
While the Lagunari have been facing a season-long survival fight for some time, their Tuscan counterparts slipped closer to the Serie A drop zone during December.
Match preview
© Imago
Despite Filip Stankovic stopping Romelu Lukaku's penalty and pulling off several other sharp saves, Venezia ultimately succumbed to a 1-0 loss in their first post-Christmas fixture last weekend.
Napoli struck in the closing stages to end the Venice club's three-match unbeaten streak, leaving Eusebio Di Francesco's men stuck inside the bottom three at the turn of the year.
Nonetheless, there have been clear signs of improvement from last term's Serie B playoff winners: after successive 2-2 draws to start December, they saw off relegation rivals Cagliari last time out at Stadio Penzo.
Mostly dwelling in Italy's lower leagues over the past two decades, the Lagunari have not posted consecutive home wins in Serie A since January 2000 - when ex-Empoli boss and now national-team coach Luciano Spalletti was in charge - but they will aim to do so this weekend.
Hoping for a similar outcome to last year's opening match - a 5-3 win over Sampdoria in the second tier - Venezia will take on Empoli for just the fifth time at the top level, still holding an unbeaten record.
© Imago
With two defeats and two draws from four Serie A meetings between the sides, Empoli are intent on finally ending that winless streak - and, more pertinently, getting a promising season back on track.
Last week's 2-1 loss to Genoa at Stadio Carlo Castellani was their third straight setback, leaving them 12th in the table and just five points clear of the relegation zone.
Even amid a bright start to the 2024-25 campaign, which briefly saw a side that struggled to survive last term rise into the top eight, the Azzurri's home form had been fairly dismal - but their away record is far superior.
Empoli had lost only one of six games on their travels before a recent downturn - largely caused by the calibre of opponents in front of them.
Despite losing to AC Milan at San Siro and to Atalanta BC in Bergamo, Roberto D'Aversa's Coppa Italia quarter-finalists may still fancy their chances of leaving Venice with maximum points on Saturday.
Team News
© Imago
Venezia's injury list remains unchanged entering 2025, as long-term absentee Michael Svoboda again joins Alfred Duncan, Richie Sagrado and Antonio Raimondo on the sidelines.
Eusebio Di Francesco may therefore consider naming an unchanged XI, but there is plenty of competition for Franco Carboni's place on the left flank, and last season's Serie B top scorer Joel Pohjanpalo might displace John Yeboah up front.
Set to link up with the hosts' lone frontman, Gaetano Oristanio has been involved in two goals in his last two games at Stadio Penzo.
Though he missed a crucial penalty last week, Empoli's Sebastiano Esposito is the youngest player to have surpassed five Serie A strikes this term; the Inter Milan loanee has scored five of his six goals away from home, including three in the last two.
He should partner Lorenzo Colombo in the Azzurri's attack, but another highly-rated young forward, Jacopo Fazzini, will not be involved amid talk of a move to Lazio during the winter transfer window.
Roberto D'Aversa will be keen to include him, as the visitors' list of absentees remains lengthy: Pietro Pellegri, Ola Solbakken, Szymon Zurkowski, Tyronne Ebuehi, Nicolas Haas, Saba Sazonov and Mattia Viti are all unavailable.
Venezia possible starting lineup:
Stankovic; Altare, Idzes, Sverko; Zampano, Andersen, Nicolussi Caviglia, Ellertsson; Oristanio, Busio; Pohjanpalo
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Cacace; Gyasi, Anjorin, Grassi, Henderson, Pezzella; Esposito, Colombo
We say: Venezia 1-1 Empoli
Although Venezia are slowly adapting to the top flight, Empoli have proved tougher to beat on the road than back home in Tuscany.
The hosts have kept just two clean sheets all season, and they may have to settle for a point as their visitors' attack features some promising talent.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
