EASTER SUNDAY SHOWDOWN: DESPERATE EMPOLI HOST REJUVENATED VENEZIA IN CRUCIAL RELEGATION BATTLE

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April 20, 2025

Empoli - Venezia

The Stadio Carlo Castellani will host a crucial Easter Sunday relegation clash as struggling Empoli welcome a Venezia side fresh off their first win in 15 attempts. With both teams desperately fighting to avoid the drop, this historically high-scoring fixture could prove pivotal in the battle for Serie A survival.

History suggests we're in for a goal-fest in Tuscany. In the nine previous encounters between these sides at Empoli's home ground across Serie A and Serie B, both teams have scored in every single match. These fixtures have produced a remarkable 35 goals at an average of 3.9 per game – making it one of the most reliable fixtures for entertainment in Italian football.

Venezia hold an unusual distinction as one of Empoli's bogey teams. The Lagunari have never lost against the Tuscans in Serie A, with two wins and three draws from their five top-flight meetings. This psychological edge could prove crucial as both sides enter the final stretch of a challenging campaign.

The holiday timing adds another intriguing element to the encounter. Empoli have never played a Serie A match on Easter Sunday, stepping into uncharted territory for the club. Venezia, meanwhile, have featured six times on this holiday, though their record is uninspiring with just one win, one draw, and four defeats.

Empoli's season has been defined by a bizarre split personality – dreadful at home but relatively competent on their travels. The Azzurri have earned just nine points at the Castellani compared to 15 away – the largest differential (6 points) between home and away performance in Serie A this season. Manager Roberto D'Aversa will be desperate to address this imbalance in what could be one of their most important home fixtures of the campaign.

"Our home form has been a real concern," admitted D'Aversa. "But we know what's at stake now. There's no room for excuses – we need to deliver for our fans and show the same character we've displayed in some of our away performances."

The hosts' recent form makes for grim reading. Empoli haven't tasted victory in Serie A since December 8 against Hellas Verona – a run of 17 matches yielding just five points from five draws and 12 defeats. No team has performed worse during this period, with only Monza matching their miserable haul of five points.

In stark contrast, Venezia finally ended their own dismal run last weekend with a 1-0 victory over Monza – their first win after a sequence of eight draws and six defeats. The visitors now have the opportunity to secure back-to-back Serie A victories for the first time since November 2021, when they defeated Roma and Bologna in consecutive matches.

"Breaking that winless streak was huge for our confidence," explained Venezia coach Paolo Vanoli. "Now we have momentum and belief heading into another crucial match. We respect Empoli, but we're focused on our own performance and continuing our push for safety."

One fascinating statistical quirk involves Empoli's reliance on Italian goal-scorers. If only goals from Italian players counted this season, the Tuscans would remarkably have 31 more points than their current total of 24, vaulting them from relegation candidates to third place behind only Fiorentina and Atalanta. This represents the highest such differential among all Serie A teams in 2024-25.

On the flip side, Venezia have earned the unwanted distinction of dropping more points from winning positions than any other team this season (26). Only once in the three-points-for-a-win era have the Lagunari squandered more points after taking the lead – 28 in the 1999/2000 campaign.

Individual performances could prove decisive. Empoli defender Giuseppe Pezzella has emerged as a surprise creative force, providing three assists this season – matching his total from the previous three campaigns combined. Only in 2020-21 (4) has he delivered more in a single top-flight season.

For the visitors, Icelandic winger Mikael Ellertsson will be looking to make history by contributing to goals in consecutive Serie A matches for the first time. The 21-year-old, who provided an assist in last weekend's crucial win over Monza, has been directly involved in four goals this season (2 goals, 2 assists), with three of those contributions coming in away fixtures.

With so much at stake for both sides in the relegation battle, Sunday's Easter clash promises tension, drama, and potentially plenty of goals as history suggests.

We thank OPTA for providing the statistical data. Photo: source XYZ