Empoli v Roma: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Empoli simply have to win at home to Roma on Sunday to give themselves a chance of staying in Serie A on the final day of the season.

Roma head into battle knowing their finish in sixth place is guaranteed, so the emphasis will be on the home side to gain the positive result they need.

Empoli v Roma betting tips and predictions

Empoli to win - 19/20

While Inter Milan were confirmed as Serie A winners weeks ago, the race to avoid relegation has gone to the final weekend and Empoli can stay up with a win over Roma on Sunday.

The two teams above them - Frosinone and Udinese - face off against each other and even if that game finishes in a draw, three points against Daniel de Rossi’s side would be enough to keep Empoli in the top-flight and they should be backed to claim that priceless victory.

They saw a great chance to make their final day a little less stressful last week when they were pegged back by a late goal in a 1-1 draw against Udinese.

Goals have been an issue for the home side - they have scored just twice in their last four matches - but they will take a degree of confidence form having gone three home games without losing.

That is a decent achievement for a team with their backs against the wall who have been in the bottom three for most of the campaign.

The circumstances should lift them and it is difficult to see from where Roma will find the motivation to claim a victory, as they are guaranteed to finish sixth, which is enough for them to have booked a place in next season’s Europa League.

The visitors will also be without star striker Romelu Lukaku, who is suspended, and with plenty of their stars beginning to think about summer tournaments, Empoli’s expected extra application should be enough to see them to three points.

Under 2.5 goals - 1/1

Roma have admittedly been strong on the road - a recent 2-1 loss at Europa League winners Atalanta ended an unbeaten run of seven away league games - but Empoli have kept clean sheets in their last two home games, which should give them an additional confidence boost.

However, there is a massive prize at stake for the home team and it would not be a surprise if this turned into a nervy occasion with few goals.

Ten of the home side’s last 11 games have featured fewer than three and under 2.5 goals would have been a winning bet in all but one of their last seven games on their own patch.

Add to that Lukaku’s absence - Tammy Abraham is set to deputise and he has hardly featured at all for the Wolves this season - and it looks sensible to conclude that a goal-filled encounter is unlikely at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.

Emmanuel Gyasi to be booked - 13/8

There seems little inclination to get involved in the bookings market for the visitors, as it is difficult to gauge just how intense their effort is going to be and midfielder Leandro Parades, who has chalked up 15 yellow cards this season, is suspended after being sent off against Genoa last week.

But there should be no quarter given in the Empoli camp and it would not be a surprise if Emmanuel Gyasi is cautioned.

He has gone into the book in both of the Gli Azzurri’s last two key matches against Frosinone and Udinese and it would not be a surprise if the Ghanaian wing-back picks up his eighth booking of the Serie A campaign. 

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Empoli v Roma odds

Empoli - 19/20
Draw - 11/4
Roma - 13/5

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.