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It was just over a year ago that Juventus made this same trip to Empoli. The situation was different then compared to now. Juventus were starting to build a scary-good lead atop the Serie A table, while this season they pretty have sat in the middle of the table after the first couple of rounds of games.
Juventus won the game 2-0.
I don't know about you, but I would like for the same kind of thing to happen this afternoon.
Maybe a goal from Álvaro Morata would be cool. Same goes for a goal from a ever-important Argentine striker (although the name and number on the back of the jersey is different this season compared to last). These are the things that happened the last time Juve ventured over to Empoli. This is what we hope happens the second time around within a 12-month span.
This @AlvaroMorata thunderbolt from the last #EmpoliJuve is always worth another look! pic.twitter.com/9IEYDoukdg
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) November 8, 2015
We are all of 90 minutes of game time away from the next international break — one that will certain be filled with more transfer rumors and ramblings about Juventus no matter what today's result actually is. But there's that undeniable desire to go into this latest two-week break from calcio with Juventus actually having a chance to catch the top of the table come the pre-Christmas break set of games.
For all the grumpiness they have caused us because of their struggles this season, Juve are just five points away from the top five. Get a win against Empoli and it's even closer than that. See what I mean? There's still plenty of time to right all of those wrongs from the first two months of the season.And with the gap between the top third of the table getting smaller and smaller, it's only time before Juventus are seriously in the discussion once again.
That is, of course, if they do what all of us want them to do. That would be nice — especially going into the international break. Nobody wants to be stewing on a crappy Juventus result for the next two weeks. Unless that's your kind of thing. But I'm pretty sure it is.
Lineups
Juventus XI (4-3-3): Gianluigi Buffon; Stephan Lichtsteiner, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Patrice Evra; Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba; Juan Cuadrado, Mario Mandzukic, Alvaro Morata
Juventus bench: Neto, Rubinho, Martin Caceres, Daniele Rugani, Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Simone Padoin, Mario Lemina, Stefano Sturaro, Hernanes, Paulo Dybala, Simone Zaza
Empoli XI (4-4-2): Skorupski; Laurini, Tonelli, Costa, Mario Rui; Zielinski, Maiello, Paredes; Saponara; Maccarone, Pucciarelli
How to watch
TV: Premium Calcio 1, Sky Calcio 2 (Italy)
Online: beIN Sports CONNECT (United States); Sky Go Italia (Italy)
Other live viewing options can be found here, and as always, you can also follow along with us live on Twitter. If you haven't already, join the community on Black & White & Read All Over, and join in the discussion below.