With the end of the summer transfer window, Football Italia previews the 2021-22 Serie A campaign and what to expect from Empoli. Words Susy Campanale.
The newly-promoted Serie A side have begun the season with a home defeat against Lazio and a historical 1-0 win against Juventus in Turin, but the path to secure Serie A survival is still long.
EMPOLI TRANSFERS IN
Vicario (G, Cagliari), Stojanovic (D, Dinamo Zagreb), Marchizza (D, Spezia), Ismajli (D, Spezia), Henderson (M, Lecce), Luperto (D, Napoli), Cutrone (S, Wolverhampton), Pinamonti (S, Inter), Tonelli (D, Sampdoria), Di Francesco (S, Spal), Ujkani (G, Torino).
EMPOLI TRANSFERS OUT
Fiamozzi (D, Lecce), Terzic (D, Fiorentina), Casale (D, Verona), Cambiaso (D, Genoa), Olivieri (S, Juventus), Matos (S, Udinese), Sabelli (D, Genoa), Nikolaou (D, Spezia), Moreo (S, Brescia), Canestrelli (D, Crotone), Crociata (M, SPAL), Pirrello (D, Cosenza), Brignoli (G, Panathinaikos)
PROBABLE XI
WHAT TO EXPECT
This is not the same side that dominated Serie B last season, having lost coach Alessio Dionisi to Sassuolo, but the Tuscans are determined to retain that attacking approach and prevent their usual yo-yoing between divisions.
There is a notable theme of returns to the Stadio Castellani, from Sebastiano Luperto to Liam Henderson and their tactician, bringing back those who already represented this club in the past rather than the other newly-promoted sides packing their squads with unknowns to both the city and Serie A. It’s hoped this sense of stability and identity can help them retain their status.
COACH – AURELIO ANDREAZZOLI
Dionisi took Empoli to promotion, but this is Andreazzoli’s third different stint at the Stadio Castellani. He was already at the helm from December 2017 to November 2018 and again from March to June 2019 before an ill-fated and brief spell at Genoa.
The 67-year-old spent most of his career as assistant manager to Luciano Spalletti, Rudi Garcia and others at Roma before branching out on his own. Andreazzoli has largely stuck with Dionisi’s 4-3-1-2 formation, trying to focus a little more on solidity at the back, but without losing the flair that got them promoted in the first place.
CAPTAIN – SIMONE ROMAGNOLI
The 31-year-old gained the fourth Serie A promotion in his career last term with the Tuscans and is likely to play his 100 game in the Azzurri shirt this term, having already collected 85 appearances with the Stadio Castellani outfit. A product of Milan academy, Romagnoli joined Empoli in 2017, but initially went on loan at Bologna and Brescia.
When he is not involved, like against Juventus, Leonardo Mancuso will take the captain armband. The 29-year-old will make his Serie A debut this season after a career spent primarily on loan to lower-division sides. He already made a big impact this term, with the winner away to his former parent club Juventus, and is just the kind of late bloomer we’ve seen hit the ground running in the top flight.
PLAYER TO WATCH – PATRICK CUTRONE
It seems strange to think of a 23-year-old as facing his last chance, but Cutrone always was precocious. Shooting to fame at Milan after coming through their youth academy, scoring 18 competitive goals in 46 games during 2017-18, he was sold in 2019 to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In tears at the airport, never disguising he’d been pushed into the transfer, Cutrone has still not recovered from that wrenching experience. Loans at Fiorentina and Valencia saw very little playing time and even worse form, further damaging his fragile confidence, so he might finally get to regain some stability at Empoli in a low-pressure environment.