Empoli v Udinese is the early kick-off in Serie A Week 8, with the game at the Computer Gross Arena taking place at 18:30 CEST on Friday.
Previous meetings between these two side have yielded 12 Udinese wins, nine draws and seven defeats.
Last season a solitary Rodrigo Becao goal saw Andrea Sottil's men edge to victory in this fixture. However, prior to that win Udinese had taken just two points from eight visits to Empoli. They are currently unbeaten in three encounters home and away with the Tuscan outfit.
Empoli have not enjoyed the best of starts and have only scored one goal all season, a 1-0 win against Salernitana in Aurelio Andreazzoli's first game back in charge. They have lost their other six matches conceding 16 goal in the process – giving them the worst goal difference in the top ten European leagues.
Three of Udinese's four goals have come in the second half (75%, the highest percentage in Serie A). The Zebrette are yet to find the net in the second period at home, however.
Both teams channel much of their play down the flanks, producing 99 crosses each from open play, fewer only than Inter (113). Udinese's cross-completion rate (32%) is almost double that of Empoli's (18%).
Lorenzo Lucca will be gunning for more goals after breaking his Serie A duck against Genoa last weekend. It was the centre forward's first league strike since netting for Ajax in the Eredivisie 326 days previously.
Jaka Bijol and Neuhen Perez are the two defenders who have won the most aerial duels this season: 26 and 22 respectively.
Andrea Sottil is unbeaten in all four previous match-ups against Empoli as a coach in all competitions.