Empoli – Palermo

Empoli host league leaders Palermo in what promises to be a decisive clash at the Stadio Carlo Castellani. The home side sit twelfth with six points from five games – two wins and three defeats, scoring four and conceding six – while Palermo sit atop the table on 13 points, unbeaten with four victories and a draw and a +5 goal difference (10‑5). The gap in form is stark, and Empoli will need to tighten up defensively if they hope to spoil the champions’ march. A win for the visitors would extend their lead, but a slip‑up could see Palermo’s comfortable cushion begin to shrink. Both teams will be keen to add another result to their head‑to‑head record, which has so far favored the Sicilian side.