Position: 14
Points: 41
Comparison with previous season: Serie B
Season overview
The Tuscans returned to Serie A after just two seasons in Serie B and have never really been in danger of being relegated. They had a great season and played an enjoyable brand of football, especially in the first part of the campaign. The Girone di Ritorno was far less impressive, but the Azzurri were still able to obtain outstanding results, such as a 1-0 win away at Atalanta in the final game of the campaign. It will be a pleasure to see them in Serie A again next season.
Turning point of the season
Their 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the derby of Tuscany in November was the peak of their campaign. A late goal from Andrea Pinamonti helped Empoli secure a dramatic victory at the Stadio Castellani, remaining unbeaten in the following four Serie A games. They collected 11 points in five games, including victories against Udinese and Napoli at the Stadio Maradona. They won two games from two against the Partenopei. Overall, Empoli were always up to the task against direct rivals, which is way more important than win against the top sides. They deserved to remain in Serie A and the final games of 2021 gave the Tuscans a vital push.
The coach – Aurelio Andreazzoli
A great coach and a real gentleman. The former Roma boss led Empoli to survival which was not easy on paper at the start of the season. The team was always composed and, most of times, exciting to watch. Many youngsters have emerged this season and some of them will take a step forward in their careers over the summer. From club-owned Filippo Bandinelli to Inter loanee Andrea Pinamonti. Empoli were full of talent and Andreazzoli was the perfect coach to assemble the team. He fought back the tears during his post-match interview after a derby win over Fiorentina and dedicated the victory to his brother, who had died a few days earlier. At the end of the season, he saluted Empoli fans and journalists, turning up with one of his grandchildren in front of the cameras.
Player of the Year – Andrea Pinamonti
It’s not easy to pick just one Empoli player this season, but Pinamonti was probably the most decisive one, thanks to his 13 goals in 36 Serie A games. His best season in Italy’s top flight. Pinamonti is destined to return to Inter at the end of his loan spell. Still, his season on the Tuscan soil has made him become one of the strikers to watch also considering the future of La Nazionale, who are desperate to find a new centre forward after the Ciro Immobile era. Guglielmo Vicario also deserves to be mentioned being the goalkeeper with the most saves in Europe’s top five leagues.
Disappointing player of the year – Patrick Cutrone
It’s almost impossible to pick one for Empoli this season, but unfortunately, we have to. Surely, we all expected more from Patrick Cutrone, but it was not easy to emerge in a season like this one where Pinamonti was the main man up front. The former Milan and Fiorentina man scored just three goals in 28 Serie A appearances and will probably return to Wolves at the end of the season, waiting for his next chance to shine.