It is 20th against 19th in round 24 of this weekend's Serie A action when Salernitana welcome Empoli to Stadio Arechi on Friday.
Filippo Inzaghi's men secured a draw against Torino to stop their 2024 rot, but maximum points are required in this relegation six-pointer against opponents that have not lost in three.
Match preview
After Salernitana held AC Milan 2-2 and secured a 1-0 win at Hellas Verona to close out 2023, the mood in Salerno was improved as fans hoped it was the fillip to improve results in the New Year.
However, Inzaghi's men have not built on those games, instead suffering five consecutive defeats in all competitions (four in Serie A) before gameweek 23's point at Torino.
The Granata were overly defensive in Turin as it ended goalless against one of the division's better home sides, but games like Friday's could be pivotal to their survival prospects, with Empoli five points ahead.
Defeating the visiting side closes the gap to three on the second-bottom club and potentially Cagliari, with the out-of-form 18th-placed club also five points ahead.
That outcome requires the cellar-dwelling side to pick up a second win on their turf, having failed to do so since stunning Lazio at the backend of November 2023.
Empoli aim to keep looking up at the sides they aspire to overtake, not worry about a chasing Salernitana keen to supplant them, giving the visitors motivation heading into Friday's meeting.
Davide Nicola returns to his old side keen to get one over his old employers, who dismissed him on January 16, 2023 but reappointed him two days later before an eventual sacking a month later.
Nicola is appreciated in Italian football for keeping Serie A new boys Crotone in the top flight in 2016-17 and the great escapes with Torino (20-21) and Salernitana (21-22) after mid-season appointments.
The 50-year-old head coach's Empoli impact is already noticeable, with the club undefeated since his January 15 arrival, picking up five points from an available nine, including a creditable draw at Scudetto-chasing Juventus.
Despite being the Azzurri's third head coach of the campaign, after Paolo Zanetti and Aurelio Andreazzoli, Nicola masterminding an upturn in results gives the second-bottom side hope of possibly leaving the bottom three this weekend if results favour them and avoiding the drop at season's end.
Team News
The injured pair of Federico Fazio (muscle) and Norbert Gyomber (groin) are nearing returns for the club from Salerno.
Triantafyllos Pasalidis's participation is uncertain, having been forced off in Salernitana's previous game at Torino, while Lorenzo Pirola is another doubt for Inzaghi's men, but the former Milan striker can count on a healthy Boulaye Dia after the striker's return to the squad in Turin.
While Gabriele Guarino is unlikely to feature due to a muscle issue, Francesco Caputo (ankle), Tyronne Ebuehi (muscle) and Simone Bastoni (thigh) are not expected to play any part for Empoli on Friday.
Sebastian Walukiewicz is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Genoa last time out.
Salernitana possible starting lineup:
Ochoa; Pierozzi, Boateng, Pasalidis; Zanioli, Maggiore, Basic, Bradaric; Candreva, Kastanos; Dia
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Caprile; Bereszynski, Ismajli, Luperto; Gyasi, Grassi, Maleh, Cacace; Cambiaghi, Zurkowski; Cerri
We say: Salernitana 1-1 Empoli
The undefeated run under Nicola should continue for Empoli in Salerno, with the home side possibly ending disappointed to draw, thus missing an opportunity to edge them closer to leaving the bottom three.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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