Atalanta BC host Empoli on Friday evening in a Serie A meeting between two managers at opposite ends of the experience spectrum.

Gian Piero Gasperini, Serie A’s oldest head coach at 65, will pit his wily wits against Empoli’s embryonic 40-year-old Paolo Zanetti, the second-youngest manager in Italy’s top flight.

Key battle: After 20 SA rounds, Ademola Lookman had scored 12 league goals, including one against Empoli in the reverse. But he’s not managed to find the net in any of his last six league outings, although he’s likely to face inexperienced Empoli stopper Samuele Perisan who has more SA goals (three) against than competition appearances (two)!

Hot stat: No SA team has received more red cards than Empoli this season (five).

Atalanta BC Serie A form:

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Empoli Serie A form:

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Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:

Musso; Toloi, Demiral, Scalvini; Maehle, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri; Pasalic; Hojlund, Lookman

Empoli possible starting lineup:

Perisan; Stojanovic, Ismajli, Luperto, Parisi; Fazzini, Marin, Akpa Akpro; Baldanzi; Satriano, Caputo

Atalanta BC 2-1 Empoli

Both teams are in rotten runs of form but Atalanta, buoyed by their home crowd, a much stronger squad and their veteran coach, should have enough to end their winless and goalless streak against Empoli this Friday.