Coppa Italia | Round of 16

Dec 4, 2024 at 8pm UK

Stadio Artemio Franchi

Fiorentinavs.Empoli

Match preview

Fiorentina's match against Inter Milan was called off during the first half because midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed on the pitch and needed emergency medical help. He was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Thankfully, Bove was soon breathing on his own and then woke up in intensive care. Understandably, the incident left both teams shaken, and they decided not to continue.

After seven league wins in a row – the most recent being a 2-0 defeat of Como – Fiorentina were on a level playing field with Italy's reigning champions, and just a few points away from the Serie A summit.

Last Thursday, the Viola picked up another three points in the Conference League when Raffaele Palladino's team, which has undergone a lot of changes, saw off Pafos with a 3-2 win. This puts them in one of eight automatic qualifying spots for the last 16.

Thanks to their European adventures, the two-time Conference League finalists have been given a bye to this stage of the Coppa Italia. They also came close to winning this competition in 2023, when they were beaten by Inter in the final.

Now, with a quarter-final against either Juventus or Cagliari at stake, Fiorentina are up against their neighbours, who have proved difficult to beat in recent derbies.

Empoli haven't lost to their regional rivals in five meetings, going back to mid-2022. They've drawn four times and won the other encounter 2-0 at Stadio Franchi.

Indeed, on their home turf, the Azzurri haven't lost to their old rivals from Florence since November 2016. The two sides drew 0-0 earlier this season.

However, they'll be heading across Tuscany for the latest Derby dell'Arno after taking just one point from two league games since the last international break. They drew 1-1 with Udinese at home, and then lost 3-0 to AC Milan at San Siro on Saturday.

This is just the fourth defeat across all competitions for the side managed by Roberto D'Aversa, and they're currently sitting in 10th place in the table after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.

After beating Catanzaro in the first round of the Coppa Italia and then winning against Torino in Turin with a goal in the 90th minute, Empoli can now focus on beating Fiorentina and reaching the quarter-finals.

Recent Performance

Fiorentina form (all competitions):WWLWWW

Empoli Coppa Italia form:WW

Empoli form (all competitions):DLWDDL

Team News

It looks like Fiorentina's first XI will be rotated again, as Raffaele Palladino has picked almost entirely different teams in the Conference League and Serie A.

So, Moise Kean and David de Gea could be among several players getting a break, while Icelandic striker Albert Gudmundsson might be back in the lineup after a few weeks off, having been named on the bench at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Edoardo Bove is still in intensive care, but he's awake and lucid. They've ruled out neurological and cardiac damage.

Empoli boss Roberto D'Aversa is still without several players, with Szymon Zurkowski, Tyronne Ebuehi, Saba Sazonov and Jacopo Fazzini all unavailable, and Mattia De Sciglio still a doubt.

Swiss midfielder Nicolas Haas, who scored the late winner against Torino in round two of the Coppa Italia, recently suffered a knee injury and could be out of action for several weeks.

D'Aversa might make a few changes, but he'll probably keep in-form striker Pietro Pellegri up front. He's recently scored three goals in four games, which is as many as he scored throughout his past two injury-plagued campaigns.

Possible starting lineup

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

Terracciano; Kayode, Comuzzo, Martinez Quarta, Biraghi; Richardson, Mandragora; Ikone, Gudmundsson, Sottil; Kouame

Empoli possible starting lineup:

Perisan; Goglichidze, Marianucci, Viti; Sambia, Anjorin, Henderson, Cacace; Solbakken, Esposito; Pellegri