Josip Ilicic and Duvan Zapata created two goals each, while the Slovenian also missed a penalty, as Atalanta ran riot away to Empoli.
Injuries were piling up for La Dea, with Matteo Pessina, Robin Gosens, Hans Hateboer and Berat Djimsiti all out with long-term issues. They were still smarting after a 3-2 home defeat to Milan and had to gear up for the Champions League showdown with Manchester United, but also celebrating the 114th anniversary of the club’s foundation.
Mario Pasalic’s header hit the side-netting from a corner, but Liam Henderson thought he’d put Empoli in front on seven minutes, denied by a Merih Demiral goal-line clearance after the good Riccardo Marchizza pull-back.
Joakim Maehle’s low drive was palmed round the post at full stretch and Atalanta broke through moments later.
It was a poor Viti clearance, Pasalic generously rolled across for unmarked Josip Ilicic to tap in his first goal of the season from seven yards.
Ilicic completed his brace with a wonderful finish, his give and go with Muriel setting the Slovenian up for a precise left-foot curler from the edge of the box into the far top corner.
Empoli pulled one back with Federico Di Francesco, who chested down an inspired Leo Stulac cross-field pass and drilled the angled drive into the far bottom corner.
Rafael Toloi had rushed his comeback from a muscular problem and aggravated it, while Simone Romagnoli also limped off.
Muriel forced a save after a slalom and Atalanta extended their advantage at the dawn of the second half. Pasalic nodded down a cross for Duvan Zapata, but in his attempt to prevent the tap-in, Mattia Viti just put it into his own net by mistake.
Atalanta were awarded a very soft penalty for Bandinelli’s coming together with Davide Zappacosta, as if anything the wing-back seemed to run into him. Ilicic stepped up with the chance to complete his hat-trick, but ballooned a horrible penalty over the bar.
Guglielmo Vicario fingertipped a Ruslan Malinovskyi header over the bar, while Demiral performed his second goal-line clearance of the game on Patrick Cutrone’s angled drive.
Atalanta were more clinical, Duvan Zapata controlling a long ball and being ready to meet the Pasalic roll across as he came sliding in on the counter.
Empoli 1-4 Atalanta
Ilicic 11, 26 (A), Di Francesco 30 (E), Viti og 49 (A), Duvan Zapata 89 (A)
Missed penalty: Ilicic 68 (A)