31 March 2016
Juventus’ record in previous Serie A encounters against Empoli makes happy reading for all those of a Bianconeri persuasion: 14 victories, three draws and only two defeats, both of which took place in Tuscany and the latest in April 1999.
Indeed, Empoli have lost more top-tier matches only to Inter and Roma (15 apiece) while the Nerazzurri are the only side to have scored more goals against the Azzurri (45 to Juve’s 41).
Home comforts
The Azzurri have yet to triumph on any of their nine visits to Turin, where Juve have won nine and drawn once (in November 1998).
Since the spoils were shared that day, the Bianconeri have rarely looked like settling for less than maximum points at home, netting 13 times to Empoli’s two on the past five occasions.
In many ways, the Old Lady set the tone for their dominance in Piedmont-based meetings with Empoli from the very first opportunity, when Aldo Serena fired twice inside six minutes of a 3-0 victory in February 1987, Antonio Cabrini adding gloss to the scoreline late on.
Last time out, meanwhile, a Maurizio Sarri-led Azzurri outfit fell to a goal apiece from Juve’s Argentine duo that season, Carlos Tevez and Roberto Pereyra.
The very last away goal in this fixture came over a decade ago, when Sergio Bernardo Almiron struck in the third minute of a 2-1 reverse in January 2006, inflicted in no small part thanks to Fabio Cannavaro’s brace either side of half-time.
Tuscan tussles
The story of Juventus’ away encounters against Saturday’s opponents also has a happy beginning and end to date, having won the very first meeting 1-0 thanks to Sergio Brio’s 72nd minute strike, which can be relived in the video below.
Meanwhile, Mario Mandzukic, Patrice Evra and Paulo Dybala were all on target in November’s success at the Stadio Carlo Castellani, a fixture in which they were forced to come from behind following Massimo Maccarone’s opener.
Incidentally, both of Empoli’s two wins over the Bianconeri came virtue of 1-0 victories, Johnny Ekstroem netting the winner in 1987 and Stefano Bianconi in 1999.
Landslide victories
Heavy wins over Empoli have hardly been lacking down the years, the Bianconeri beating the Tuscans by at least three goals on six occasions (five at home).
Following the aforementioned Serena and Cabrini show of February 1987, less than 12 months would pass before Rino Marchesi’s men went one better in a 4-0 triumph in January the following year. Strikes from Brio, Ian Rush and a Marino Magrin brace completed the job that day.
Although almost a decade went by before their next meeting, the Old Lady were in no mood to buck the trend, condemning their visitors to a 5-2 defeat in December 1997 courtesy of Alessandro Del Piero’s hat-trick in between Filippo Inzaghi’s opener and Max Tonetto’s late own-goal.
After Empoli made for far tighter affairs in their next two trips to Turin (0-0 in November 1998 and 1-0 in February 2003), they succumbed to their fourth true hammering under the Mole at the very start of the 2003/04 season due to braces notched by Del Piero and David Trezeguet respectively prior to Marco Di Vaio’s penalty. Antonio Di Natale would eventually beat Gigi Buffon in the 88th minute in what was the forward talisman’s final campaign in Tuscany before transferring to Udinese.
Last but not least, in October 2007, Trezeguet replicated strike partner Del Piero’s fine feat of hitting three at home to the Azzurri, but this time in the space of only 19 second-half minutes without reply.
