Coppa Italia
Pisa and Empoli will meet in the first round of the Coppa Italia on August 17, 2026 at 19:00 (UTC) at Arena Garibaldi - Stadio Romeo Anconetani. Pisa, managed by Guido Pagliuca, will host Empoli under the direction of Paolo Bianco at home.
Context: A Battle for Cup Progression
The match marks the beginning of the Coppa Italia campaign for both sides. Both teams played their previous round match on 2025-09-25; Empoli won that match 3-1, while Pisa finished with a 1-0 victory.
Form: Both Struggling in the Cup
The data paints a concerning picture. Empoli has lost all of its last 3 Coppa Italia matches. Pisa is facing an even tougher spell; they have lost 6 of their last 7 cup matches. This shows that both teams are in poor cup form and are desperately seeking a win.
Head-to-Head: Empoli's Dominance
In the last four meetings between the two teams, Empoli has not lost; during this period they recorded 3 wins and 1 draw, while Pisa suffered 3 defeats and 1 draw. Empoli has scored 2.25 goals per match against Pisa while conceding 1.25; Pisa has scored 1.25 goals per match against Empoli while conceding 2.25. A notable detail is that despite Pisa scoring first in all of their last three matches (75%), they have failed to convert this into a win. Notable fixtures from their history include a 1-1 draw in 2021, two Empoli victories in 2020 (3-1 and 2-1), and a 2-3 home defeat for Pisa in 2019.
Absences and Squad
On Pisa's side, two players will be unavailable due to ligament and cruciate ligament injuries. On Empoli's side, one player is missing due to an unspecified injury. Nicholas Bonfanti, who has the highest average xGOT value for Pisa in cup matches, will not be available for this match; this could limit the home side's attacking power. For Empoli, Edoardo Saporiti stands out with an average xGOT value of 0.87 over his last 10 cup matches.
Data-Driven Forecast
There is a clear distinction between the two teams in terms of goal-scoring timing: Pisa typically scores between the 30th-45th minutes in their previous meetings, while Empoli is effective in the final stages of the match, between the 75th-90th minutes. Additionally, all of Pisa's last four Coppa Italia matches have featured under 3.5 goals, which suggests the possibility of a low-tempo encounter. Weather conditions expected to be light rain and around 26 degrees Celsius may also be a factor affecting the pace of the game.