Serie A line-ups: Empoli vs. Roma | OneFootball

Roma rotate the squad ahead of the Athletic Club clash, visiting giant-killers Empoli with Eldor Shomurodov, Matias Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini.

It kicks off at the Castellani Computer Gross Arena at 17.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Giallorossi are on sparkling form recently, winning eight of their last 11 competitive matches, losing only in the Coppa Italia to Milan.

They fought back to beat Athletic Club 2-1 in the Europa League Round of 16 on Thursday evening and the second leg is coming up next week, so Claudio Ranieri has to rotate his squad.

That means rest for Paulo Dybala and Zeki Celik, who haven’t even made the trip to Empoli, while Angelino, Bryan Cristante, Alexis Saelemaekers and Artem Dovbyk are benched.

Mats Hummels finally returns to the Roma starting XI, while Soulé and Pellegrini support Shomurodov.

EMPOLI, ITALY – JANUARY 26: Liam Henderson of Empoli FC in action during the Serie A match between Empoli and Bologna at Stadio Carlo Castellani on January 26, 2025 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Empoli are a curious side, knocking Juventus out of the Coppa Italia to set up a semi-final with Bologna, but also struggling badly in Serie A.

They scraped just three draws, all of them 1-1 results against Venezia, Bologna and Genoa, in the last 12 league games.

The absentee list remains extensive, missing Youssef Maleh, Tino Anjorin, Ardian Ismajli, Mattia Viti, Ola Solbakken, Nicolas Haas, Szymon Zurkowski, Tyronne Ebuehi, Saba Sazonov and Pietro Pellegri.

Empoli caused a huge upset winning 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico in August 2024, but that was a very different Roma side.

Empoli: Silvestri; Goglichidze, Marianucci, De Sciglio; Gyasi, Henderson, Grassi, Pezzella; Esposito, Cacace; Colombo

Roma: Svilar; Nelsson, Hummels, N’Dicka; Saud, Koné, Paredes, Salah-Eddine; Pellegrini, Soulé; Shomurodov

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