Football Season Guide

6 years: that is how long it took Empoli to return to the top flight of the Italian football since their last relegation in 2008. In fact, before achieving promotion thanks to an outstanding season, as they were only second to dominating Palermo, they had already missed such a goal in the Serie B playoffs twice. A blend of youth and experience was what coach Sarri used in order to lead his boys to the final, and long yearned-for, triumph. The coach has basically no experience in Serie A, not even as a player, and this could represent a huge problem in the long run. However, since his arrival at the helm of the team in 2012, Empoli made the news for the quality of their offensive football. He steadily adopts a 4-3-1-2 formation with a trequartista to support the attacking duo formed by Maccarone and Tavano, who are both 35-years old. The newly-arrived Laxalt, whose stints with Livorno and Bologna were quite forgettable, should be the one to act behind the two dinosaurs. Apart from Pratali, who was released right after the end of the past campaign, no major players left Empoli yet, thus leaving unaltered the backbone of the team. On the other hand, a few promising youths arrived on loan: the above-mentioned Laxalt from Inter, Rovini and Aguirre from Udinese, who should earn some playing time in the attack, Bianchetti from Hellas Verona, who might impose himself among the starters in the back four, and Vecino from Fiorentina, who should also become a regular in the midfield. Guarente, who is trying to redeem some troublesome seasons, is the only player with experience to have been signed this far and he also seems set for a starting place in the midfield. The feeling is that more experienced players will sign before the end of the transfer window, with the attack particularly in need of valid alternatives to Maccarone and Tavano.