Empoli host Cremonese in an intriguing Serie B fixture on August 22, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 at the Stadio Carlo Castellani. Both clubs entered the campaign with disappointment from the previous season still fresh: Empoli endured a disastrous second half of the year and narrowly avoided dropping into Serie C, while Cremonese returned from Serie A after only one season. The current data presents an unusual contrast, with Empoli ranked second in Serie B and Cremonese 18th, although neither team has lost across its last five matches. That combination of historical pressure and encouraging recent results makes this a difficult contest to assess solely through league ranking.

Empoli Recent Form and Key Statistics

Empoli approach this home match after a 1-1 draw against Pisa on August 17. That result extended an unbeaten sequence which now stands at five matches, consisting of two victories and three draws. Over that period, Empoli have scored an average of 2.4 goals per game while conceding only 0.6, numbers that indicate significant improvement compared with the difficult spell described at the end of last season.

The hosts had also drawn 1-1 with Livorno and Spezia during the summer. Those results did not provide the decisive lift that Pagliuca was seeking, while the composition of the squad was affected by the departures of Anjorin, Guarino, Elia and Ignacchitti. The article context portrays an environment still looking for greater stability, but the more recent five-match record offers a more positive statistical picture: Empoli are unbeaten, productive in front of goal and conceding well below one goal per fixture on average.

Second-half activity is one of the clearest trends surrounding the home side. There has been over 0.5 second-half goals in each of Empoli’s last 17 matches. The same outcome has occurred in their last 16 Serie B games. This does not specify which team scored, but it does show that Empoli’s matches have consistently produced at least one goal after the interval. Consequently, the contest may remain open to a decisive moment even if the opening stages are controlled.

• Empoli are ranked second in Serie B.
• Their last five matches produced two wins and three draws.
• They averaged 2.4 goals scored and 0.6 conceded across that sequence.
• Their last 17 matches all contained at least one second-half goal.

Cremonese Recent Form and Key Statistics

Cremonese arrive after defeating Sampdoria 2-0 on August 17. The victory continued their own five-match unbeaten run, made up of three wins and two draws. Their defensive return has been particularly impressive: Cremonese have conceded an average of only 0.2 goals per match during that period, alongside an average of 1.6 goals scored.

The visitors are aiming to return to Serie A after their one-season stay ended in relegation. According to the supplied context, the squad retained many of its important components and was reinforced by the arrivals of Stuckler, Pontisso and Gerli. Giampaolo therefore has a group presented as capable of competing for promotion, and the clean-sheet victory against Sampdoria offered an encouraging opening indication.

Cremonese’s matches also show a strong first-half pattern. In each of their last 26 games, at least one of the two teams failed to score before half-time. That statistic does not mean every opening period was goalless, but it does indicate that first-half goals from both sides have been consistently absent. Combined with Cremonese’s average of just 0.2 goals conceded over their last five outings, the trend points toward a visiting side that has recently been difficult to break down.

• Cremonese are ranked 18th in Serie B.
• The visitors have registered three wins and two draws in their last five matches.
• They averaged 1.6 goals scored and 0.2 conceded over those games.
• At least one team failed to score in the first half of their last 26 matches.

Empoli vs Cremonese Match Analysis

The statistical comparison suggests a more balanced encounter than the ranking alone might imply. Empoli have the higher position and the stronger scoring average across the latest five-match sample, but Cremonese have won more games during the same period and possess the better defensive average. Both teams are unbeaten over those five fixtures, so neither arrives carrying the immediate pressure of a recent defeat.

The head-to-head record gives Empoli an advantage. From the supplied summary, they have recorded three wins, one draw and one defeat against Cremonese, averaging 1.6 goals scored and 1.0 conceded. The most recent meeting ended 1-0 on April 14, 2023. That latest scoreline supports the possibility of another closely contested game rather than a high-scoring exchange.

The model gives Empoli a 43% win probability, compared with 28% for the draw and 29% for a Cremonese victory. However, the goal markets provide a clearer overall direction: under 2.5 goals is rated at 57%, while both teams to score “No” stands at 53%. The available decimal odds also list under 2.5 goals at 1.72 and over 2.5 at 2.07.

Empoli’s recent attacking average prevents the visitors’ defensive quality from being treated as a guarantee, particularly with the hosts repeatedly featuring in matches that produce second-half goals. Nevertheless, Cremonese’s low concession rate, the 1-0 score in the latest head-to-head meeting and the preference shown by the supplied under 2.5 probability all point toward a game in which clear scoring opportunities may be limited. A cautious first half followed by greater activity after the break would also fit the separate trends attached to the two teams.

Empoli vs Cremonese prediction from BetMines: Under 2.5 goals with 57% probability.