After emerging the 2-0 victors in a match against Fiorentina last week, the Rossonere will return this weekend to play against Empoli. Afterwards, Serie A Femminile will go on hiatus for the international break.
The match will take place at the Stadio comunale di Petroio principale, which is Empoli’s home ground in Tuscany. The kickoff time will be at 14:30 CEST. Here’s a primer of what you need to know before the match…
The Background
Milan and Empoli have met seven times in Serie A Femminile. The first encounter was in December of 2018. The match ended in a 4-2 win for the Tuscans.
Empoli have won three out of six of those matches, including a 2-1, last gasp victory over the Rossonere in January of 2020. Milan managed to finally get the better of them in October of 2020 and the match ended in a 3-0 win for the Rossonere. The last time they met was in November of 2020, and Milan won the game by a solitary goal.
Milan currently sits in third place on the Serie A table and will need to beat their Tuscan opponents to keep apace with AS Roma in a bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The Formations
Milan has thus far chosen to deploy a 3-4-3 formation for their most recent games. The Diavole will be without one of the key figures in their lineup this Sunday, as Laia Codina will miss this match after receiving a red card against Fiorentina last Sunday. Look for Guðný Árnadóttir to take the Catalan’s place in the starting eleven. The good news for Milan is that they will have both Martina Piemonte and Alia Guagni back for this game. Refiloe Jane, on the other hand, will miss this game due to a persistent calf injury.
In contrast, Empoli will either take the field in a 3-5-1 or a 4-1-4-1 formation. The Tuscans are tough, tenacious, and dogged defenders and have the players to hurt Milan on the counterattack. In particular, Milan should be wary of the threats posed by Chanté-Mary Dompig. The team also has the rare distinction of beating Juventus this season, as they handed the Bianconere their first defeat in three years. Prugna scored the game-winner during that match and has scored against Milan too. She is, therefore, the most potent weapon in their arsenal.
The Azzurre have what it takes to put up a solid fight and victory against them won’t be easy.
Prediction
As was noted before, Empoli are tough customers. It’s hard to see Milan pulling off a victory, especially given their recent scoring woes. If Milan does pull off a win, it will be after a hard-fought contest.
However, don’t be surprised if the Rossonere don’t win and drop points against the Tuscans either.
How to watch
If you live in Italy, the game will be on TimVision and Milan TV. The game will also be on Ata Football for a handful of countries, including the United States. For everyone else, check your local listings.
