Few choices, D'Aversa counts on the usual eleven. Maleh is back again, chance from the 1st minute for Kouame

by Niccolò Pistolesi EMPOLI Countdown to Udine. TheEmpoli continues his work towards the delicate away match on Sunday. Between doubts and questions, between injuries and come back, mister D'Aversa is trying to trace what could be the possible training. Marianucci will certainly be missing from the list of players called up due to the expulsion received against Milan and Viti, Fazzini, Anjorin due to physical problems. A moderate hope instead filters through for Ardian Ismajli, captain and defensive leader of the Azzurri. His recovery would be very important but at the same time, considering the short squad, it could be risky and premature to rush things and risk a possible relapse. The biggest doubts continue to concern the defense. In the event of the Albanian's confirmed absence, the feeling is that he could be adapted as a left-hander pezzella, alongside Goglichidze and De Sciglio. For the latter, it would be the third match as a starter after those against Juventus and Milan. On both occasions he responded present, scoring in Turin and doing a good job against the Rossoneri, playing first on the right and then moving to the central department. His experience and maturity could prove important for a phase as complicated as it is fragile that the Azzurri team is going through.

Maleh returns from suspension in midfield, but the rising odds are for Grassi and Henderson, both of whom are moving towards the starting shirt. The Moroccan, after missing the Milan match, could be used as a real wildcard to support Colombo alongside Esposito, ensuring balance and allowing D'Aversa to keep an arrow like Kouamé on the bench to shoot during the match to change the inertia of the game. The former Fiorentina player, however, appeared fit and lively in the few minutes - twenty - he had available to make an impact against the Rossoneri and is a candidate to start from the first minute for what would be, in all respects, a full front-wheel drive Empoli. With Pezzella who could move to defense, the left lane would have another owner, with Liberato Cacace ready to act all over the wing. On the right, there are few doubts, gyasi he is the immovable of this team. He has always played as a starter and only on two occasions has he not finished the full 90 minutes: against Inter in the 3-0 defeat, exiting in the 77th minute, and against Venezia in the away match that ended 1-1, exiting in the 79th minute. Cacace and Gyasi, who will also be the two cautioned for the match against Udinese, with a yellow card would trigger the disqualification and their absence would be a significant one, especially considering the current situation.

He continues to train with the team too Kovalenko, the Ukrainian midfielder who arrived as a reinforcement from the free agents, last year 2 goals and 1 assist. Both he and Zurkowski, minute after minute, can become important pawns and credible alternatives for D'Aversa's chessboard. The match against Udinese can represent a real opportunity to get back to scoring points, despite a tough and physical opponent.