Roma are under pressure to get the points against an Empoli side that is extremely hard to beat.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Rudi Garcia’s men have drawn four of their last five Serie A games, which saw a seven-point gap open up to leaders Juventus.
Roma are under pressure to get the points against an Empoli side that is extremely hard to beat.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Rudi Garcia’s men have drawn four of their last five Serie A games, which saw a seven-point gap open up to leaders Juventus.
Confidence is falling fast and injuries aren’t helping, as Kevin Strootman may well be out for the rest of the season with a new knee injury, while Daniele De Rossi is sidelined for a month.
Gervinho is still on African Cup of Nations duty with Federico Balzaretti and Leandro Castan long-term absentees.
Seydou Keita has returned from that tournament and is thrown straight into the starting XI.
Mattia Destro has been sent to Milan on loan with option to buy and new signing Seydou Doumbia isn’t available yet.
Radja Nainggolan scored the winner when Roma played Empoli at the Stadio Castellani in September.
They had a more recent encounter earlier this month in a controversial Coppa Italia tie, as Empoli pushed Roma to extra time and were beaten only by an extremely debatable penalty.
Empoli are without Tiberio Guarente and Lorenzo Tonelli, but can count on Riccardo Saponara following his loan move from Milan.
The Tuscans earned many compliments this season, but not reflected in their results, managing 10 draws and only three victories.
Roma: De Sanctis; Maicon, Manolas, Yanga-Mbiwa, Holebas; Pjanic, Keita, Nainggolan; Ljajic, Totti, Iturbe
Roma bench: Skorupski, Florenzi, Astori, Torosidis, Paredes, Pellegrini, Uçan, Somma, Cole, Verde, Vestenicky
Empoli: Sepe; Hysaj, Rugani, Barba, Mario Rui; Croce, Valdifiori, Vecino; Saponara; Pucciarelli, Maccarone
Empoli bench: Bassi, Pugliesi, Bianchetti, Perticone, Laurini, Tonelli, Laxalt, Signorelli, Verdi, Zielinski, Mchedlidze, Tavano