Milan and Empoli are at the opposite ends of the table, but their seasons are far from over. Milan have to maintain their top 4 spot, while Empoli are still very close to the relegation zone. I expect this to be an interesting battle with a lot of stakes for both teams.
AC Milan Team News
After a hard-fought 4-2 midweek win against Slavia Prague, Stefano Pioli’s men must turn their attention to Serie A and Empoli. Recent league form for the Rossoneri is above average – 3 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw in their last 5 league fixtures. At the San Siro, Milan are undefeated in their last 5 home Serie A games having won 3 of their last 5. Two of those wins were close to 1-0 affairs, but it must be noted that one of them was against Napoli. However, Stefano Pioli should be alarmed by the recent goal conceded by his side in competitive football – 10 in total from their last 5. This will certainly be an area, where the Rossoneri will surely look to improve.
Empoli Team News
Empoli are in a relegation battle this season and despite entering the game with Milan from the 14th spot, the team is just 2 points from the bottom three of the league. Recent away form for Empoli has been good though, as they are coasting on back-to-back away wins against Salernitana and Sassuolo. While impressive and pivotal for their survival claim, these points came to teams near them in the standing. Before that, Empoli had recorded 5 away Serie A games without any win. However, 3 of those games were draws with the other 2 being losses, albeit close ones.
Head-to-Head-Games
Milan have an absolute advantage in the head-to-head statistics as they have won 4 of the last 5 games with Empoli. But Empoli’s last win over the Rossoneri came at the San Siro in 2017. For Milan, 3 of their 4 wins from the last 5 fixtures came with at least a 2 goal margin.
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | AC Milan | 37 | 22 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 74 | LDDWL |
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Empoli FC | 37 | 8 | 9 | 20 | -26 | 33 | WLDLD |
AC Milan – Empoli Betting Prediction
Empoli seems to be a preferred opponent for Milan, as evidenced by their head-to-head statistics. Stefano Pioli’s team also has a great home record in the league. I do not expect them to make a mistake here, but I do expect them to improve their defensive game, as this will surely be a wanted upgrade in light of their coming second-leg fixture against Slavia Prague. This is why I expect Milan to take this game and do it with a margin, as they have often done against this opponent in the recent past.
Betting Tip: -1 Milan Handicap
Bookmaker: Sportsbet.io
Odds: 1.68
Sportsbet.io
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