Empoli have failed to make a splash in the summer transfer window, and could struggle on their Serie A return.
Empoli
Team name: Empoli Football Club
City: Empoli, Tuscany
Last season's finish: 2nd in Serie B, promoted
Intro
This season marks Empoli's return to the top flight for the first time since 2008. They'd been banging on Serie A's door for the last couple of seasons, and after an agonising playoff defeat last year, they finally guaranteed their promotion with a second place finish in Serie B back in May. The question now is whether they're sufficiently strong to survive immediate relegation.
Unfortunately, early signs aren't exactly promising. They're the only team in the league who're yet to spend a single euro on strengthening their team, instead looking to untested youngsters to keep them afloat. Fiorentina loanee Matías Vecino and former Bologna attacker Diego Laxalt have both shown promise, but they're certainly going to be thrown in at the deep end at the Carlo Castellani this season.
However, it isn't all gloom. The Tuscan club's prestigious academy -- in the past responsible for the likes of Vincenzo Montella and Antonio Di Natale -- has produced their outstanding young defensive pair of Lorenzo Tonelli and Daniele Rugani. They're just a couple of players in a talented unit, which also includes inventive Venezuelan midfielder Franco Signorelli, lively attacking midfielder Simone Verdi and the much sought-after Albanian full-back Elseid Hysaj.
Up front, things are a little more elderly, though Francesco Tavano and Massimo Maccarone both scored in double figures last season despite having a combined age of 69. If they can repeat such form in the top flight, the azzurri may just have a chance of survival. That, though, looks unlikely. Despite their blend of youth and experience, Empoli should be gearing up for a long, hard campaign.
Key player
Francesco Tavano
Even at 35, Francesco Tavano was one of the top players in Serie B last season. The evergreen striker has scored a total of 65 goals in the last three domestic seasons, and kept Empoli in the second tier single-handedly during their disastrous 2011-12 season.
The diminutive attacker -- once of AS Roma and Valencia -- isn't just excellent at reading the game, but is still in incredible physical condition. He's started an enormous 120 league games over the last three seasons, meaning Empoli should have no problems squeezing at least one more good campaign from him. If it's a great one, they may well defy the relegation odds.
Key departures and arrivals
In: Rodrigo Aguirre, Emanuele Rovini, Tiberio Guarente, Matteo Bianchetti, Matías Vecino, Diego Laxalt
Out: Francesco Pratali, Pietro Accardi
Reasons to watch
Empoli head into the season with an average age of just 24.5, which is younger than anyone else in the entire division. That in itself makes them an exciting prospect. If they're to stand any chance of survival, they're going to need their youngsters to step up and prove they already have what it takes to play in Serie A. They're going to need stars to be born.
Where they might finish
Only Cesena look more certain to be relegated than Empoli. The Tuscans should be expecting a tough, season-long struggle.
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