It’s just 20 miles from Fiorentina’s Stadio Artemio Franchi to the Stadio Carlo Castellani in Empoli. The two sides may be Tuscan neighbours, but in reality, the clubs couldn’t be more different. The temporary stands and basic facilities at the latter club belie their status in Italy’s top division, but the familiar faces and adjacent training ground give a glimpse into what the club is all about.
“We are family” the club’s motto reads in English, and there truly couldn’t be any better slogan for the Castellani residents. Rather than trying to keep up to their more highly-decorated neighbours, the Azzurri are trying to achieve success in their own way, their tight-knit followers coming together with players and club executives for the greater good.
Boasting one of Europe’s most impressive youth academies, Empoli have found success in recent years through the production of some of Italy’s brightest talent, whilst also helping to develop youngsters that have arrived on loan from Serie A’s biggest sides. After the success of former boss Maurizio Sarri and his subsequent move to Napoli, there were many who thought the Azzurri would find themselves in trouble at the start of the 2015-16 campaign.
When Sarri departed – along with talented players Mirko Valdifiori and Elseid Hysaj – in came the relatively unknown Marco Giampaolo, who then took Empoli to even greater success. With youth products Lorenzo Tonelli and Riccardo Saponara, the Blues still had plenty of talent and were further assisted by loanees Leandro Paredes and Piotr Zielinski.
Along with goals from striker Massimo Maccarone, Giampaolo’s side went way beyond expectations, finishing up with a 10th placed finish at the end of the campaign. With an ambitious ten-year plan in place and the prospect of a new stadium in the pipeline, things were looking good. But that’s when Empoli became victims of their own success.
Giampaolo was handed the vacant position at Sampdoria, and Zielinski and Tonelli headed back to Napoli. Paredes returned to parent club Roma and with Saponara having signed for Fiorentina in January, Empoli have been truly decimated. Their battle with relegation a warning to heed for the likes of Atalanta who are currently enjoying success with a talented crop of young players, with the Azzurri having registered just six Serie A wins this term.
With what Empoli fan Francesco describes as “the worst play in Serie A”, Empoli have scored the lowest number of goals of any team registering just 20 goals in 32 outings this term. This is put down to poor choices from the club’s management after they appointed Giampaolo’s replacement from within. Giovanni Martusciello had worked as an assistant under the previous two coaches, but this season was in at the deep end with his first ever job in his own right in Italy’s top league.
No adequate replacements for both Zielinski and Paredes added to the discontent, and the cracks have begun to appear at this “family” club. “When the management stopped talking and listening to the fans we were really hurt,” Francesco told the Sportsman. “All we’ve done is reveal the mistakes they’ve made and without us EFC doesn’t exist. But I underline the protest is only versus the coach and the management, the players are always supported.”
Veteran players Manuel Pasqual and Massimo Maccarone have been talking to the fans as an attempt to act as go-betweens, with those who have denounced Martusciello seeing the aforementioned duo as the true statesmen of the club. The coach rubbed salt into the wounds as he declared “I only consider the applause, for what there is of it. Those who whistle are free to do so, but they don’t love this team or understand how difficult it is to stay up in Serie A.”
After these comments, furious Empoli fans stayed away from last week’s fixture against local rivals Fiorentina. Just 350 fans made the short journey to the Stadio Artemio Franchi, when in previous years the number of away fans was closer to 1,500.
The small band would be rewarded however, with former Viola captain Pasqual scoring a last-minute penalty to take three points back to Empoli for the first time since 1997. True to their word about not taking their frustrations out on the players, thousands turned out at the Castellani to welcome the victorious squad, but the problems remain.
“Everyone is grateful to the Corsi family but we pay our money and have the right to say that this season has been painful,” Francesco continued. “It would be better to be in Serie B and play proper football. This season, every match has been a stomach ache. Pescara, Palermo and Crotone all play better football than us.”
Not even a 2-1 victory against Milan at San Siro this weekend following the win over Fiorentina is enough to quell the feeling of discontent, the Azzurri fans feeling as though the ownership have broken the bond that had been previously formed.
With five matches remaining and Empoli five points clear of the drop zone, it seems as though they will indeed play their football in Serie A next term. But the real work will start again in the summer, as the Tuscan side need to put back together their family ethic and get their best asset – the fans – back onside.
