Football is a funny game. Honestly, if you’d told any Juventini back in January that a Wednesday night in February would end with the Allianz Stadium in stunned silence, they’d have laughed you out of Turin. But that’s exactly what happened when the Juventus FC vs Empoli FC rivalry—if you can even call it that given the historical gulf—took a bizarre, dramatic turn in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals.
We’re talking about a matchup where, statistically, Juventus usually eats Empoli for breakfast. Heading into the 2024-2025 season, the Old Lady held a 76% win rate against the Tuscans. That is a massive number. It’s the highest win percentage Juve has against any team they’ve played at least 25 times in Serie A. Basically, Empoli is usually the "get right" game for the giants of Piedmont.
The Night the Script Flipped
Everyone remembers the February 26, 2025, clash. It wasn’t just a loss; it was the way it happened. Juventus dominated possession. They had 69% of the ball. They took 15 shots. On paper, it looks like a siege. But soccer isn't played on paper, and the scoreboard at the end of 90 minutes read 1-1.
Youssef Maleh, who has been a thorn in the side of bigger clubs all year, opened the scoring in the 24th minute after a slick feed from Jacopo Bacci. You could feel the tension rising in the stands. Thiago Motta, looking increasingly frustrated on the touchline, burned through his subs. He brought on Kenan Yildiz. He brought on Manuel Locatelli. Finally, Khéphren Thuram-Ulien found the equalizer in the 66th minute.
Then came the penalties.
There’s something uniquely cruel about a powerhouse losing on spot-kicks to a team that, on paper, has a market value nearly 15 times smaller. Dusan Vlahovic, usually so reliable, missed his effort. When Luca Marianucci stepped up for Empoli and buried the final penalty to make it 4-2 in the shootout, the "impossible" had happened. Empoli, the ultimate underdogs, had dumped the most successful club in Italian history out of the cup.
💡 You might also like: Why Isn't Mbappe Playing Today: The Real Madrid Crisis Explained
Tactical Breakdown: Why Empoli Kept Up
It’s easy to say Juve "choked," but that does a disservice to what Alessio Dionisi is doing with this Empoli squad. They didn't try to outplay Juve at their own game. They were comfortable being uncomfortable.
- Low Block Mastery: Empoli played a 3-5-2 that frequently shifted into a 5-3-2. They didn't care about the 71% pass completion rate (which is quite low for professional standards). They cared about where those passes were going.
- Directness over Possession: While Juve spent five minutes circulating the ball around the perimeter, Empoli would win it and be in the box in three passes.
- The Ismajli Factor: Ardian Ismajli has quietly become one of the most underrated center-backs in Italy. Before he got subbed off in that cup game, he had Vlahovic in his pocket.
The contrast in styles is what makes Juventus FC vs Empoli FC so fascinating lately. Earlier in the 2024-2025 Serie A season, specifically in Matchday 4, they played out a grinding 0-0 draw. Juve couldn't break them down then, either. It’s becoming a bit of a "kryptonite" situation for Motta’s system.
The History You Probably Forgot
We can't talk about these two without mentioning the 4-1 thrashing Empoli handed Juventus in May 2023. That was a dark day for the Bianconeri. It happened right as news broke about their points deduction, and the players looked like they’d seen a ghost.
But then look at February 2, 2025. Just weeks before the cup disaster, Juve actually hammered Empoli 4-1 at home. It’s this wild inconsistency that drives fans crazy. In that game, Juve played with two strikers—Vlahovic and Kolo Muani—and it absolutely tore Empoli’s high line apart.
Why didn't they do that in the cup?
📖 Related: Tottenham vs FC Barcelona: Why This Matchup Still Matters in 2026
That’s the question everyone in Turin is still asking. It seems like when Juve plays "direct" football, they win. When they fall into the "Allegri-lite" trap of slow build-up and cautious side-passing, Empoli gains confidence.
What the Numbers Tell Us
If you’re looking at the raw data for Juventus FC vs Empoli FC, the historical dominance is still there, but the gap is closing in terms of single-match competitiveness.
| Stat Category | Juventus (Avg) | Empoli (Avg) |
|---|---|---|
| Market Value | ~€550m | ~€36m |
| Pass Accuracy | 90% | 71% |
| Avg. Age | 27.0 | 23.4 |
Empoli’s squad is much younger. They run more. They press with a desperation that a team like Juventus, competing on three fronts (Serie A, Champions League, and the Cup), sometimes struggles to match on a cold Wednesday night.
Moving Forward: Tactical Adjustments
If you're betting on or watching the next installment of this matchup, keep an eye on the midfield transition. Juventus has struggled when Teun Koopmeiners is marked out of the game. Empoli has figured out that if you put a "shadow" on the Dutchman, Juve’s creativity drops by half.
For Empoli, the mission is simple: survival through grit. They are currently battling in the lower half of the table (hovering around 14th-16th depending on the week), while Juve is desperately trying to keep pace with Inter and Milan at the top.
👉 See also: Buddy Hield Sacramento Kings: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
Key takeaways for the next clash:
- Watch the first 20 minutes. If Juventus doesn't score early, they tend to panic against Empoli’s low block.
- Look at the lineup for Empoli's Devis Vásquez. He’s had "Man of the Match" performances in three of the last four meetings between these two.
- Check the injury report for Federico Gatti. Juve’s defense looks significantly more vulnerable to Empoli’s counter-attacks when he isn't there to bully the smaller forwards.
To really understand where this matchup is going, you have to look at the loan deals. Juventus often uses Empoli as a "finishing school" for their youngsters. Players like Mattia De Sciglio and several Next Gen stars have moved between the clubs recently. This creates a weird dynamic where the "underdog" often has players who know exactly how the "giant" thinks.
Keep an eye on the Serie A return fixture in May. If Juve is still in the title race, that game at the Stadio Carlo Castellani will be a pressure cooker. Empoli won't just be playing for pride; they'll likely be playing for Serie A survival. And as we saw in the Coppa Italia, a desperate Empoli is the most dangerous version there is.
Check the latest squad rotation before the next kickoff, as Motta’s tendency to bench Vlahovic for "tactical reasons" has backfired in this specific fixture more than once this season. If Kolo Muani starts alongside him, expect goals. If it's a lone striker setup, get ready for a long, defensive night.