Position: 14th
Points: 43
Previous season : 14th, 41 points
Best scorer: Nicolò Cambiaghi, six goals in 28 Serie A games
Rating: 6.5/10
Season overview
It was hardly a thrill a minute at the Carlo Castellani this season, but a relatively comfortable survival and a few more points than last term will have satisfied everyone at the club. They have become a good place for young talent to emerge. Once again, they proved to be a fine breeding ground, with Tommaso Baldanzi, Nicolò Cambiaghi and Fabiano Parisi among those getting a chance to shine. They were far from free-scoring but their solid 4-3-1-2 formation conceded far fewer goals than the majority of their main relegation rivals.
Turnaround moment
Serie B was definitely a possibility for much of the time, but it was a very late rush of form that ensured the Tuscan side could enjoy the closing few weeks of the season. An epic win over Bologna in early May – in which VAR denied their opponents two goals – was vital in finally banishing any fears of relegation. That sent Empoli on one of their best streaks of the season with three wins in five games – including a skelping of Juventus – which ensured they kept their heads comfortably above water.
The coach – Paolo Zanetti
After winning promotion but then crashing into relegation with Venezia, there were some dents in Paolo Zanetti’s reputation but the team where he featured more than 50 times as a player was willing to take a chance on him nonetheless. It proved to be a good match as he was in tune with the ambitions of bringing through young prospects and giving them an opportunity to experience Serie A away from the stresses of bigger clubs. He will undoubtedly lose some of them in the summer, so his talents will be tested again next year.
Player of the Season – Fabiano Parisi
It could easily have been flying goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario who had an impressive season with some astonishing saves but the honour has to go to defensive colleague Fabiano Parisi who captured the attention of many other clubs with his displays at left-back. It earned him a call-up to the Italy squad in November although he failed to add to the Under 21 appearances he had already earned. Don’t be surprised if he pops up on a bigger side soon to become a mainstay of their defence.
Disappointing Player of the Season – Marko Pjaca
There was a time when Marko Pjaca was a hot prospect but those days have seemed a distant memory as misfortune and injury have seen his stock tumble. Empoli could have been the ideal place to kick-start his career but things never really got going and he struggled to influence things – featuring in less than half of their league games and playing 90 minutes in none of those matches. Everybody would wish him a return to the promise he once showed but it didn’t happen for him in Tuscany.