Empoli-Atalanta, the brain-teaser

After fending off the contrition of their European exit, the Nerazzurri must now focus all their efforts and motivation towards the league. A new challenge, the closing act of February is in fact on the horizon as the team, poised to close ranks tighter than ever before, will pull out all stops to turn the Empoli outing into more than just a mere sliding door, but rather a true defining moment of the season by building on the solid ground gained thus far in the league. With the Serie A MD26 fast approaching, here’s our pre-game quiz.

What was the outcome of our latest February outing?

This Sunday will mark the 17th encounter to be held on Tuscan soil across the Serie C, the Serie B, the Coppa Italia and the Serie A. Among these, only one match took place in February, specifically on February 22nd. What was the result? If you answered 2-2, while that response would be correct in terms of the outcome (a draw), that same statement wouldn't be true scoring-wise. A 0-3 win was instead the fin al outcome of our very last game at the Castellani courtesy of a double Scamacca and of an in-between Koopmeiners. (highlights available below). 3-2 was instead the scoreborad of the hosts' last home win (back on MD13 of the 2018/19 season with Nerazzurri goals coming from Hateboer and Freuler). So, what’s the correct answer? A goalless draw, specifically the 0-0 from the 1986/87 season, which marked the first-ever meeting between the two teams in the top division.

Of all the teams in the current Serie A toster, Empoli is the one we have the best away points average

False

Second only to Monza (16) for the fewest total away games played so far, the Tuscan team also earns the "silver medal" in another race: specifically, in the highest success rate of Atalanta on enemy soil. With 6 wins so far, the figures stand at 35.3% for the Nerazzurri, a number surpassed only by the 40.9% achieved in matches against Hellas Verona. The same applies to the away points average, with Empoli (1.47) just slightly behind Verona (1.50). However, if we look at the overall data, the Tuscans take the lead, "flipping" the script in this particular ranking with a narrow victory. So, what do the numbers say? 1.74 vs 1.73.

Doni, Hateboer or Lucarelli. Who scored his last Serie A goal as a Nerazzurro in Empoli?

Let's kick-off the list of notable exclusions with an exceptional name: striker Cristiano Doni. Despite being the all-time top scorer in this head-to-head (with 5 goals in 10 encounters avcross Serie A, Serie B and Coppa Italia), the black-and-blue former no. 72 (and 27) closed his Serie A scoring tab with a brace against Lazio at the then Atleti Azzurri d'Italia. Against Empoli, however, came his penultimate goal for Atalanta (again at home, but back in the 2010/11 Serie B campaign).

Moving from one Cristiano to another, it was Lucarelli's goal that secured Atalanta's first historic victory in Empoli: coming off the bench in the 60th minute, the then-number 9 from Livorno broke the deadlock with the winning goal in the 1997/98 Serie A's MD26.

To wrap up our trio of scoring "last dances" south of the Arno river, not onlyEmpoli was Hans Hateboer's favourite "punching bag"; but the also, and on a much more related sidenote on the question, were the last team to see Hans Hateboer find the back of the net in Serie A: out of his two goals scored against Empoli, in another twist of fate both came on the road, the one setting the tone for the win in the 2022/23 12th round was also Hans' final Serie A goal in Atalanta's colors.