Palermo VS Empoli Match Prediction

In 13 matches, Empoli have the advantage over Palermo by seven to two.  The sides have also drawn four times.  Here's a look at the last five meetings:

Jan 7, 2017: Empoli 1-0 Palermo
Mar 19, 2016: Empoli 0-0 Palermo
Nov 2, 2015: Palermo 0-1 Empoli
Mar 1, 2015: Palermo 0-0 Empoli
Oct 5, 2014: Empoli 3-0 Palermo

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Palermo vs Empoli Prediction

Palermo will fall by the wayside here as Empoli get an important win.

Correct Score Prediction: Palermo 1-2 Empoli

Palermo vs Empoli Betting Tips and Odds

Bet365 have the following odds available for this match:

Palermo are at 5/1 to win, a draw is at 10/3, and an Empoli win is at ½.

Palermo to get a win or a draw is set at 13/8 via the double chance.

Both teams to score is set at ¾ for yes and 1/1 for no.

A 1-0 Palermo win could get you 25/1 odds if correct at the final whistle.

Reason:

The bookmakers are leaning toward Empoli, despite being the away side, because they have an advantage in the head to head.  They also have so much at stake here, and Palermo have little at stake besides pride after already being confirmed as relegated. 

Team News

Diego Bortoluzzi will be without center backs Slobodan Rajkovic and Roberto Vitiello,defensive midfielder Alessandro Gazzi, and left winger Breel Embolo due to injuries.  Left back Giuseppe Pezzella will miss out after getting the call from the Italian U-20 side.

Key Man

Former West Ham man Alessandro Diamanti will have definitely had a different idea in mind when he completed his transfer from China back in August of last year to Palermo.  He'd have thought that he wouldn't be playing a match for a relegated side on the final day against a team trying to stave off the same fate.  But that's the task he finds himself in on Sunday.  The 34 year old has to be pointed at as one of the reasons for Palermo's failures.  In 30 matches, he's got just one goal to his name in the league.  That total is paltry, even for his age and the amount they paid to acquire his services.  He does have five assists, though, so it's not all been negative.

Team Form

Palermo have two losses, two wins, and a draw in their last five matches.  They lost 6-2 away to Lazio start the sequence, but they rebounded to win 2-0 at home to Fiorentina.  They then had a 1-1 draw at Chievo before winning 1-0 at home to Genoa.  Last weekend, they lost 2-0 at fellow relegated side Pescara.

Expected Line-up: 3-5-2

Team News

Giovanni Martusciello will be unable to use center forward Levan Mchedlidze due to an injury.  Center midfielder Marcel Buchel and attacking midfielder Omar El Kaddouri will miss out due to suspensions as well.

Key Man

37 year old Italian striker Massimo Maccarone is no stranger to moments like these.  The veteran has scored a lot of goals in his career, for various clubs.  From Milan to Middlesbrough, and even their opponents Palermo.  So he will be well-versed in scoring goals.  Maccarone has gotten better with age, it seems, scoring five times this season.  Maccarone's experience could just be the difference maker to help Empoli get over the hump and stay afloat in Serie A.

Team Form

Empoli have three losses and two wins in their last five matches.  They started the sequence with a huge 1-2 victory away to AC Milan before falling 1-3 at home to Sassuolo.  A 3-1 home win over Bologna came next before they lost 3-2 away to Cagliari.  Last weekend, they lost 0-1 at home to Atalanta to find themselves just one point above the drop zone.

Expected Line-up: 4-3-1-2

Empoli have a massive task on Sunday. They are in a position where they are in control of their own destiny, and they should be able to get it done. A win here, no matter what happens in Crotone, will be enough to see them clinch safety. But a draw or a loss might just open the door for Crotone if they get a result against Lazio. That would be disaster for Empoli, who have put together a decent end to this season. They should feel confident that they can be a side that have already had their relegation confirmed, but it won\'t simply be handed to them that easily. Just think if Palermo had earned a few more points, and we would basically have a cup final of sorts!

Empoli are one point ahead of 18th place Crotone coming into Sunday. Empoli simply need to match the result that Crotone get against Lazio in order to confirm their place in Serie A for next season.