Profiles, news, broadcast… What you need to know about Empoli and Fiorentina
The resumption of the championship is approaching for AS Monaco. But before returning to Ligue 1, the Red and Whites continue their preparation. Presentation of the next two opponents of the Club: Empoli and Fiorentina.
After Sevilla FC last week on the sidelines of scene in BenidormAS Monaco continues to perfect its preparation before the return of Ligue 1 on the lawn of AJ Auxerre next December 28 (5 p.m.). On this occasion, the Red and Whites will face Empoli in quick succession this Friday (5 p.m.), then Fiorentina on Saturday (3 p.m.). Presentation of these two resident teams of Serie A, the Italian elite.
Four friendly matches await our Rouge & Blanc before the resumption:
🇪🇸 @SevillaFC December 7 at 8 p.m.
🇮🇹 @EmpoliFC December 16
🇮🇹 @acfiorentina December 17
🏴 @LUFC December 21 at 8 p.m.🔙 Resumption of the @Ligue1UberEats December 28 🆚 @AJA pic.twitter.com/4d9kFCAPNd
– AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) December 5, 2022
Empoli, an ex-promoted in the ballot
Founded in 1920, Empoli FC is based in Tuscany, in central Italy. Although a century old, the club currently coached by Paolo Zanetti has never won a major title in its history (three Serie B, the antechamber of the elite). Reassembled in the summer of 2021, the transalpine club is starting its second consecutive season at the highest national level after finishing the last exercise in fourteenth place with 41 points on the clock.
An honorable ranking for a promoted club. This season, the partners of the former Toulouse Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro are in thirteenth place in the standings with 17 units (four wins, five draws, six losses).
An attack at half mast
A team on alternating current, which did not know how to chain two rank victories. If the Tuscans have the eleventh defense in the championship (19 goals conceded, three less than Inter Milan), the offensive sector is at half mast. With twelve small goals scored, Empoli is only the 19th tied attack in Serie A.
Charge to the men of Philippe Clement to play a serious game to win against a solid but ineffective team, despite the presence in its ranks of the former Croatian winger of Juve, Marko Pjaca, as well as the Italian international, Mattia Destro. See you this Friday at 5 p.m. at the Stadio Castellani in Empoli, for a match that will be followed live on our Youtube channel (❗Attention, the broadcast of the match will only be accessible from France and Monaco!).
Fiorentina, an old acquaintance of Serie A
Less than 24 hours after the opposition against Empoli, AS Monaco travel to Florence to challenge Fiorentina. Seventh in the last championship, “La Viola” as the club is nicknamed, is having a slightly more delicate start to the 2022-2023 season and is pointing to tenth place in the standings. In defense of Vincenzo Italiano’s men, they have already faced the entire current top 5 (Naples, AC Milan, Juventus, Lazio and Inter Milan).
With a record of five wins, four draws and six defeats, the Florentines will have to whip if they want to play Europe again next season, the last qualifying place being already at eight points. For the double Serie A champion (1956 and 1969), the meeting against AS Monaco will be the second against a French club after their success against Bastia on Wednesday (1-2).
FULL TIME💜⚜️
Bastia 1-2 Fiorentina⚽️Igor
⚽️ Barrack#forzaviola #fiorentina #bastiafiorentina pic.twitter.com/okAmj581LO— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) December 14, 2022
A European adversary
If in the league, the results are – for the moment – not up to expectations, in the Europa League Conference, everything is fine. Placed in an affordable group with Istanbul Basaksehir, Hearts of Midlothian and Riga FS, the partners of former Madrid player Luka Jovic qualified without incident for the 16th finals of the competition, where they will face… Sporting Braga.
The Globalist Sofyan Amrabat, absent mark
Faced with an adversary that is also European, the partners of Wissam Ben Yedder will therefore be keen to win. Even if there will be a notable absence from the Violets, since the Moroccan international Sofyan Amrabat, revelation of the World Cup but beaten by the French team of Youssouf Fofana and Axel Disasi in the semi-finals, is still in the running for 3rd place in the competition.
🇲🇦 Sofyan Amrabat: general midfielder ✨@ACFFiorentinaEN | #UECL pic.twitter.com/cgI69eOZng
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) December 14, 2022
On the other hand, the Red and Whites will find an old acquaintance from Ligue 1: the former Lille player Jonathan Ikoné! So see you this Saturday at 3 p.m. for the kick-off of this third preparation match.
Photo credits: Icon Sport