Where the match is played:
Stadium: Olympic
City: Rome
Capacity: 72698 spectators12.08
Welcome to the live coverage of the match between Lazio and Empoli, a match valid for Matchday 36 of the Serie A Tim 2023-24. It is played at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.12.08
Lazio are unbeaten in four consecutive league games (three wins, one draw), including the 2-2 draw at Monza in the last round. The Biancocelesti are in the running for a place in the next European competitions, currently occupying seventh place with 56 points: by winning today, they would at least guarantee the arithmetic of that place, going plus eight over Napoli.12.08
Empoli are fresh from a draw (0-0) against Frosinone, but still remain in the fight to avoid relegation. It currently boasts just a two-point margin over 18th place, occupied by Udinese with 30 points. Away from Castellani, however, the blue and whites have been on a losing streak for four consecutive championship games and, so far, have only won four times (three draws, 10 defeats to boot).12.08
OFFICIAL LINEUPS: Lazio lines up with 3-4-2-1 which includes: Mandas – Patric, Romagnoli, Hysaj – Lazzari, Guendouzi, Kamada, Marusic – Felipe Anderson, Zaccagni – Immobile. All. Tudor. Available: Provedel, Renzetti, Casale, Patric, Pellegrini, Cataldi, Rovella, Vecino, Castellanos, Gonzalez, Isaksen, Pedro.12.16pm
OFFICIAL LINEUPS: Empoli instead responds with a 3-5-2 formed by: Caprile – Bereszynski, Ismajli, Luperto – Gyasi, Bastoni, Marin, Maleh, Pezzella – Cancellieri, Caputo. All. Nicola. Available: Perisan, Seghtti, Goglichidze, Walukiewicz, Grassi, Shpendi, Kovalenko, Niang, Cacace, Cerri, Fazzini, Destro, Zurkowski, Cambiaghi.12.15pm
Mister Tudor has to do without Luis Alberto, who is out of the squad due to a technical choice. Provedel still not at his best, so Mandas is in goal again. Marusic finds himself back in the starting lineup, while Zaccagni moves forward to team up with Felipe Anderson in the tandem to support the lone striker, Immobile.12.16pm
Mister Nicola instead changes something compared to the previous round. The form has been confirmed, although Cancellieri could act in a position a little further back than that of Caputo. Usual three-man defense, but both Bastoni and Maleh are seen in the midfield five, with Gyasi and Pezzella acting as fifths on the two flanks.12.18pm
Among the teams against which they have never lost at home in Serie A, Empoli is the one Lazio has faced the most: the Biancocelesti have in fact achieved nine wins and four draws in 13 home matches played so far against the Tuscan club.12.19pm
The teams are finishing the final warm-up phases and everything is truly ready on the pitch at the Olimpico. Gianluca Aureliano (Bologna section) will direct this Lazio-Empoli, assisted by Alessandro Lo Cicero (Brescia) and Marcello Rossi (Biella). IV Official Marco Monaldi (Macerata), VAR Daniele Chiffi (Padua) and AVAR Michael Fabbri (Ravenna).12.19pm
1′Lazio-Empoli BEGINS, Aureliano blows the whistle and we can start here at the Olimpico. Clear weather, temperature of 24°. The hosts on the pitch with a celebratory uniform: exactly 50 years ago, the Biancoceleste club won its first Scudetto by beating Foggia 1-0 on the penultimate matchday. 12.33pm
2′Gyasi comes in hard on Zaccagni, a free kick in favor of Lazio near the midfield circle. Empoli was immediately very compact in his position on the pitch. 12.35pm
3′Cancellieri’s first shot on the right, with the Empoli striker reaching the back, coming back on the left foot and attempting the cross. However, Lazio’s defense is orderly and rejects the threat. 12.36pm
5′
Lazio continues with prolonged possession of the ball, seeking verticality for Immobile as soon as he has the chance. Empoli who obviously remained very short and narrow, trying not to let the home team get into a rhythm. 12.39pm
7′Nice maneuver from Lazio, who crosses from the right flank. Interesting ball in the center of the area, where Zaccagni doesn’t reach it with his header due to a matter of centimeters. As the action develops, a foul was won by Empoli in their third quarter of the pitch. 12.41pm
10′This is match number 28 between Lazio and Empoli in Serie A; the Biancocelesti won 16 of the first 27 matches, with seven draws and four victories obtained by the Tuscan club. 12.43pm
11′Great initiative by Kamada. The Lazio midfielder starts with the ball at his feet, enters the area after missing two opponents and then sets the ball in the center for Felipe Anderson. The latter stops well, skips an opponent and attempts a right-footed shot: a conclusion however blocked by the Empoli defence. 12.45pm
13′Patric breaks free on the right wing and tries to cross to the center for Immobile, but the Lazio striker chooses to make a move to exit and so there is a misunderstanding between the two. Ball lost by Lazio. 12.46pm
15′
Lazio always in possession of the game, looking for width horizontally. Empoli well disposed on the pitch and able to deny any potential vertical space to the home team. 12.49pm
17′New maneuvered action by the Biancocelesti. Guendouzi goes to cross practically from the top right of the opponent’s area, at the far post Bereszyński gets lost Immobile but the Lazio striker is unable to deflect his header into the goal. 12.50pm
18′Caputo scores, but is furious. Empoli’s quick restart, with Cancellieri potting the ball vertically for his teammate, who shoots at Mandas but then manages to curl the ball into the net. However, the flag of Aureliano’s assistants goes up. 12.52pm
20′BASTONI CLOSES TO 0-1. Kamada’s error in setting up, the Empoli midfielder recovers the ball and, from the edge, lets off a very nice left-footed shot, which however flies just a few centimeters over the crossbar of the goal defended by Mandas. 12.54pm
22′Lazio struggling to find spaces and depth, while the team coached by Nicola is trying to grow. In the first quarter of the match, the clearest opportunity was for Empoli. 12.56pm
24′
ISMAJLI SAVES EVERYTHING. Great central percussion from Kamada, who then serves Immobile in the area from the outside right. The Biancoceleste striker is already anticipating the goal, but the sliding intervention by the Empoli defender is providential. It will only be a corner kick. 12.58pm
25′Immobile on the ground in the area after discarding Caprile on the way out. No foul touches from the Empoli goalkeeper. as confirmed by the VAR check. The Lazio striker seems to have a problem with his left ankle, but he seems to be able to continue. 12.59pm
27′Corner from the left taken very well by Bastoni, with the ball falling into the center of the Lazio area. Ismajli turns his head towards Mandas’ goal, but sends the attempted shot high. 1.01pm
30′Since the beginning of 2016, Lazio have remained unbeaten and have won eight of ten matches against Empoli in Serie A (two draws); in the period, only against Cagliari did they play more matches without ever losing in the competition (14), while against no other team did the club play more matches in the period without ever winning (10 also against Roma).1.03pm
32′Empoli trying again to raise their center of gravity, while Lazio now seems to be going “in gusts”. Immobile offensive terminal of reference, much sought after by his teammates but often not reached due to technical errors in the last (and decisive) passes. 1.06pm
33′
Bastoni’s free kick from the top right of the Lazio penalty area. The Empoli midfielder performs a cross between a curling shot with the left foot and a cross aimed at the far post. He passes the ball into the area without any deviation, and then ends up beyond the back line. 1.07pm
34′Another dialogue between Patric and Guendouzi on the right, with the full-back going for the cross. However, the ball is too obvious, Caprile reads it as well as he can and makes the ball his own with an excellent high-grip exit. 1.08pm
35′AMAZING MANDAS! Error by Guendouzi, who gives Empoli the counterattack to keep the ball on the pitch. Bastoni recovers and launches Cancellieri, who enters the area, skips two opponents and embroiders in the center for Caputo. A sort of moving penalty, which the Italian striker kicked low to the edge of the post, but was met with a sensational deflection into the corner by the Lazio goalkeeper. 1.09pm
37′CPRILE SAYS NO TO PROPERTY. Great vertical ball for the Biancoceleste striker, who runs away on the edge of offside, enters the area and, from a tight angle, tries to surprise the Empoli goalkeeper at the near post. Caprile, however, is very attentive and deflects into the corner with excellent reflexes. 1.11pm
39′Another dangerous restart for Empoli, with Maleh attempting a pass for Caputo. Felipe Anderson’s defensive stoppage was excellent, thus allowing Lazio to relaunch their action. Change in front and Guendouzi shoots from distance, but his shot is blocked practically at the edge of the Empoli area. 1.13pm
40′
Five minutes plus injury time at the end of the first half between Lazio and Empoli. The guests were certainly more dangerous, having had two very important scoring opportunities. Property factor instead for the hosts. 1.15pm
42′Marin surface-to-air torpedo from distance. To conclude a great team effort by Empoli, with Bereszyński having failed to serve Caputo horizontally in the center of the area, the midfielder unleashes a great right-footed shot from distance. Mandas perhaps touches and deflects just enough to lift the ball over the crossbar, but no corner is awarded. 1.17pm
45′There will be two minutes of injury time in this first half here at the Olimpico. Empoli who, on points, deserve to “win” this first half of the match. 1.18pm
45’+3′GOAL! LAZIO-Empoli 1-0! Patric network. Great corner kick taken by Zaccagni, with the ball landing in the center of the small area after Caputo’s “hole” at the near post. The Biancoceleste defender only has to push into the net from two steps, passing an innocent Caprile. 1.22pm
END OF 1ST HALF. Lazio-Empoli 1-0. Biancocelesti ahead with the last useful action of this first half of the match. Very severe punishment for guests. 1.23pm
Lazio was decidedly cynical and capable of making the most of Empoli’s only defensive error. The team coached by Davide Nicola would perhaps have deserved a goal, for the many opportunities created in this first half, but now they find themselves having to chase due to the goal scored by Patric. 1.25pm
Zero warnings, no physical problems encountered: therefore it is difficult to hypothesize replacements for both teams. Of course, Empoli are playing a fundamental match today in their fight for survival, so it cannot be ruled out that Mister Nicola will switch to a more attacking formation compared to the 3-5-2 he has chosen so far. 1.26pm
