EMPOLI

League position: 8th
Head coach: Aurelio Andreazzoli
Top-scorer: Nedim Bajrami (3)

RECENT FORM

Roma: W L W L W
Empoli: W L L W W

Having gone six wins on the bounce at the start of the season, the Giallorossi have split two wins with two defeats in their last four matches but remain fourth in Serie A and top of Group C in the Europa Conference League.

A convincing 3-0 win in Ukraine sweeps Jose Mourinho’s side back into domestic action, where victory could leapfrog them over reigning champions Inter Milan and into third.

Empoli have carried their championship winning form from Serie B into 2021-22, and sit eighth after picking up three wins from six matches, including an historic 1-0 win at Juventus on Matchday 2.

It’s a strong return for the newly-promoted side, who are only missing right-back Riccardo Fiamozzi through injury for the trip to the capital.

Possible Empoli line-up

(4-3-1-2)

Vicario; Stojanovic, Romagnoli, Viti, Marchizza; Haas, Ricci, Bandinelli; Bajrami; Di Francesco, Pinamonti

LAST MEETING

DANGER MAN
Nedim Bajrami

Empoli’s 22-year-old top-scorer has been superb at the tip of Andreazzoli’s midfield so far, scoring three times and laying on two assists from seven appearances in all competitions.

An international teammate of Marash Kumbulla, Empoli’s Albanian playmaker injects energy to their attack.

Blessed with superb technique, pace and and eye for both a pass and the goal, Bajrami has a bright future ahead of him.

Presently, however, he is focused on providing a creative spark for the Azzurri outfit from Tuscany.

MATCH STATS

Roma’s last Serie A defeat against Empoli came back in February 2007 (0-1 at the Castellani). The Giallorossi are unbeaten in the 10 subsequent meetings (W7, D3).

Empoli have never beaten Roma at home in Serie A, with the capital club winning 11 times and drawing twice in 13 top-flight fixtures between the two.

Roma have won each of their last five Serie A home matches, and should they make it six from six this weekend, they would do so for the first time since Luciano Spalletti took them on a 15-game winning streak at the Olimpico in 2017.

Empoli have scored nine Serie A goals this season, their highest tally after their first six Serie A matches of a campaign. They have also earned nine points, their second-best tally at this stage of a season, behind only the 2002/03 campaign (10).

PLAYER STATS

• Mourinho is unbeaten in his last 41 home matches in Serie A, which is level with Massimiliano Allegri for the longest winning streak on home soil in top-flight history.
  
• No midfielder has been directly involved in more Serie A goals so far this season than Jordan Veretout (six; four goals and two assists). Only Paul Pogba (seven) and Florian Wirtz (eight) have had a hand in more goals in Europe’s top-five leagues so far this term.
  
• Andreazzoli’s first Serie A post as head coach was with Roma when he took charge of 15 league games of the 2012-13 campaign, winning eight matches, drawing four and losing three times.
  
• Empoli striker Andrea Pinamonti has scored two goals in his last three Serie A appearances against Roma.

WHAT THEY SAID

“We have many versatile players. We try to give the boys the best lessons, mainly because they are young boys who are making their debut in Serie A. We must go on our way, with the awareness that our priority is to secure survival.”

- Empoli coach, Aurelio Andreazzoli after his team's 4-2 win over Bologna last time out