TipResumen

INTRODUCTION

Empoli were the Champions of Serie B last season and gained automatic promotion. However they now have a difficult opening game against Cagliari at the Stadio Carlo Castellani on



EMPOLI

Last season they won Serie B and along with Parma they were automatically promoted to Serie A. Frosinone were the third team to earned promotion via the playoffs. In their only competitive game they crashed out of the Coppa Italia after losing at home to Cittadella by 3- 0. Despite starting on home ground, the likes of Benevento and Hellas Verona have showed in the past before how difficult it is being in Serie A. Now Empoli must take advantage of the fact they are starting their first match at home and also take advantage of Cagliari who doesn't play well on their travels. Also they can rely on the experience of Fiorentina captain Manuel Pasqual as well as young talented striker Antonino La Gumina after they managed to win the battle to get him with Sampdoria for the Palermo hitman.



CAGLIARI

They have not made much changes from last season's squad and now they have a new coach as ex-Chievo Coach Rolando Maran is their new head coach now. They did well in the Coppa Italia when they beat Palermo by 2-1 with Leonardo Pavoletti scoring two goals. Now they will not have the services of Joao Pedro and new arrival Darijo Srna who are both suspended for this trip. In attack Diego Farias will start instead of Marco Sau. They have brought new players into the team - the likes of Lucas ‘Pata’ Castro who is known at terrorising the opposing defenders.



PAST MEETINGS

The last time they met was in 2016 and Empoli won by 2-0 at home. Away from home, Cagliari won by 3-2. They have never drawn before when Empoli hosted.