Empoli, crucial away match in Monza: avoid missteps for salvation

by Niccolò Pistolesi

Woe betide anyone who thinks it's a simple challenge. Woe betide anyone who thinks it's a game that's already written, just because the opponent has nothing more to ask of the championship. Empoli away match at the U-Power Stadium comes at a crucial moment, one of those in which every detail counts, in which the head is worth as much as the legs, if not more. And precisely on these occasions, the greatest danger is that of deluding oneself. Of thinking that little is enough. That the worst is already behind us. For Empoli, the trip to Monza is anything but a formality. Because the Soccer, as we know, does not forgive those who lower their guard. And the precedents, in the blue house, speak clearly: there is little to be calm about. The Monza he is already safe, it's true. But precisely for this reason he can play free from pressure, as he demonstrated on the last day with the 1-2 victory at Udinese. An unmistakable signal: those who no longer have objectives can still do harm, indeed.

Empoli knows what it means to be surprised by those who seemed already doomed. They have known it since the 2003-2004 season, when on the penultimate day they went to Ancona, bottom of the table with a relegation that had been written for some time. They needed important points, and instead they received a defeat that left deep wounds. Ancona ended that season with just 13 points, but of those few, three were taken against an Empoli who, all things considered, was relegated to 17th place. A bitter lesson. But perhaps the most painful memory is more recent, the 2016-2017 season. Empoli already seemed safe, strong with a reassuring margin - a full 11 points ahead of the red zone on the 21st day. Then, a vertical collapse. And the lowest point, the most mocking, came on the last day: a 2-1 defeat against Palermo, already relegated, and goodbye to Serie A. A technical, mental, emotional harakiri. Another opportunity thrown to the wind against an opponent who, on paper, no longer had any motivation.

This is why the match against Monza cannot and must not be approached lightly. D'Aversa's team will have to show the same intensity, the same hunger and clarity seen in the victory against Parma. It's not enough to create chances, you have to exploit them. It's not enough to defend, you have to know how to suffer. And above all, a cool head: no frenzy, no calculations, just concrete football. In Monza, everything is at stake. The biggest mistake would be to think that it's done. Because the past teaches. And this time, Empoli has the duty to listen to it.