Empoli 0 - 0 Juventus - Tedium In Tuscany
The Bianconeri had begun the Serie A season in style, scoring six times without reply to top the table after two games. A dour 0-0 draw at home to Roma followed, which saw a mere two shots on target from either team the entire game. This left Juventus level with Udinese, Inter Milan and Torino on seven points at the top of the standings.
Empoli were also undefeated this season, having advanced in the Coppa Italia versus Catanzaro with two draws against Monza and Bologna either side of a shocking 2-1 win away to Roma.
Juve travelled to the Stadio Carlo Castellani to face an Empoli side built on their imperious home form. The Azzurri were unbeaten in their last six home games in all competitions going into this tie, stretching back to their great escape at the end of last season.
Juve handed Teun Koopmeiners, Nico Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz and Pierre Kalulu their first starts for the club as part of a rotated side following the international lay-off. Mattia Perin strapped on the gloves as Di Grigorio was rested ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven.
Andrea Cambiaso moved to full-back alongside debutant Kalulu, with centre backs Bremer and Federico Gatti completing the defence. Locatelli and Douglas Luiz anchored the midfield, with Koopmeiners in front of them,. The front three saw Nico Gonzalez and Kenan Yildiz fan out behind striker Dusan Vlahovic, with Samuel Mbangula benched.
There would no reunion for Empoli’s Mattia De Sciglio, who was not ready to face his former club, as the Tuscany side posted an XI of Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti; Gyasi, Grassi, Henderson, Maleh, Pezzella; Esposito, Colombo.
Kalulu was on hand early on to stop Emmanuel Gyasi. Gyasi got on the end of Giuseppe Pezzella cross, only for Kalulu to intercept.
At the other end, Ardian Ismajli pulled off his own defensive heroics, making a tricky tackle to stop Dusan Vlahovic in his tracks, after the Serb found himself clean through thanks to Kenan Yildiz.
Devis Vasquez was forced into action on 35 minutes as a Douglas Luiz corner was taken short for Koopmeiners. The Dutchman then planted a cross onto the head of Federico Gatti, with Vasquez pulling out a superb cat-like leap to paw Gatti’s header over the bar.
Five minutes after the restart, a Nico Gonzalez through ball set up Dusan Vlahovic for a one-on-one with the keeper., only for Vasquez to shut him down from six yards out.
On 55 minutes, Locatelli hit an inspired pass for Andrea Cambiaso, who looped a ball across the box for Koopmeiners. Koopmeiners nodded the ball down goalward, with Vasquez getting a hand to it. The ball fell at the feet of Nico Gonzalez merely yards out, but a desperation clearance saw Empoli keep it somehow at 0-0.
Thiago Motta tried to spark his side into life, making four substitutions on the 66th minute. Timothy Weah and Khéphren Thuram made their comebacks from injury off the bench, along with Samuel Mbangula and Nicolo Fagioli, replacing Locatelli, Gonzalez, Yildiz and Douglas Luiz respectively.
It would be Empoli who were the better side late on though. First a one-two between Pietro Pellegri and Alberto Grassi saw Mattia Perin forced into a decent save, with Grassi’s effort being too weak to best Perin, who was starting his Serie A fixture away from home in 377 days, His last away incidentally came also against Empoli, on September 3rd 2023.
In stoppage time, Marley flashed a speculative effort wide of the post before Empoli gave every Juventus fan watching a fright, thanks to Gyasi.
Empoli broke forward on the counter, racing past the Juventus defence. Gyasi sped into the box, with only Perin to beat from a tight angle. Out of nowhere, Federico Gatti flung himself in the path of Gyasi just as he was about to tap-in at the near post, saving Juventus from an embarrassing shock defeat.
Juventus’ undefeated record in Serie A remains in tact, despite a late scare. At time of print, no Serie A club has conceded fewer shots on target than Juve, with the lowest xG conceded. Juventus have yet to concede a goal in the league, but of more concern is the lack of clinical finishing in front of goal, with a second 0-0 in succession.
After the match, CalcioMercato wrote:“After the one at home with Roma, Juventus collects another in Empoli. Motta’s Bianconeri provide a disappointing performance at the Stadio Carlo Castellani and stumble into another misstep. The goals conceded remain zero, but this time, too Juve creates little and does not break through. Vlahovic and his teammates climb to the top of the table alone but could be overtaken tomorrow by the other leaders, including Inter.”
The draw puts Juve back to the top of the table at time of print, with eight points, benefiting from poor starts from title rivals Inter and Milan. While Inter can go top with a win at Monza tonight, Juventus will look to get back to winning ways on Tuesday with the visit of PSV Eindhoven in the opening Champions League matchday before a home tie against Napoli on Saturday.