Empoli (football club)

The club was founded in 1920 . In the seasons 1946/47 and 1947/48, he participated in Series B for the first time in his history, after which he played in the lower leagues for 35 years and returned to the second tier only in the 1983/84 season. After 3 years he went to Serie A , where in his debut match on the field in Florence sensationally beat Inter - 1-0. The club managed not to fly out, thanks to the removal of 9 points from Udinese . But in the next season he turned out to be involved in a scandal and, having lost 5 points, left for Serie B , from where he left for Serie C1 a year later.

In the 1995/96 season, under the leadership of former club player Luciano Spalletti , Empoli returned to Serie B , and a year later he returned to the strongest class, where he performed for two seasons.

In November 1999, the club was headed by Silvio Baldini , who managed to create a combat-ready team in three seasons, which in 2001 returned the club to Serie A. At that time, talented footballers appeared in Empoli, who did not get lost later in more serious clubs: Massimo Maccarone , Marc Bresciano , Antonio Di Natale , Tommaso Rocchi .

In the fall of 2003, the team was in the basement of the standings and Baldini was fired . In that season, the Tuscans were not able to establish a game and once again descended into Serie B , but only for the season.

Already in 2005, the “blue” again played in the leading Italian division, where, under the leadership of an experienced mentor Luigi Cagni, they took the highest place in their history at that time - 11th. At the end of the 2005/06 season, a huge corruption scandal ensued, as a result of which Empoli climbed even higher due to withdrawing points from other teams - to the seventh line and unexpectedly got the right to participate in the UEFA Cup , but did not play in this tournament, so how he did not receive a UEFA license, and was forced to give up his 7th place to Parma .

The next season, Empoli has already earned the right to participate in the UEFA Cup according to the sporting principle. The two-round confrontation with the Swiss “Zurich” was the club's debut in the international arena. Empoli lost to Zurich in two matches with a score of 2: 4 and dropped out of the tournament. In the domestic championship, things were not going well for the club, and club president Fabrizio Corsi was forced to fire Luigi Cagni and appoint Alberto Malezani to coach. Later, the trainer was replaced back. At the end of the season, the Tuscans left Serie A , and Silvio Baldini was returned to Luigi Cagni's place.

The next season in Serie B was not quite successful for the “blue”. The team for a long time was the leader in the championship, but in the end could not take the first two lines, which gave the right to exit to Serie A directly. Fifth place gave Empoli the right to a series of play-offs, in the first round of which they lost to Brescia in the sum of two matches, tied at home 1: 1 and defeated at a loss 0: 3. The defeat entailed the resignation of Baldini . The new "steering" "Empoli" was Salvatore Campilongo . Having fully worked the 2009/10 season, he achieved only 10th place and in the summer lost his post to Alfredo Alletti, ex-mentor of the Sampdoria youth team. But the 2010/11 season “Empoli” had a little better - 9th place.

Before the start of the next season, several players returned to the team who played for her in Serie A - Antonio Boucher , Francesco Tavano . In the winter transfer window , another football player was rented, previously known as a member of the club - Massimo Maccarone . However, the season did not work out. Instead of another attempt to return to Serie A , the Tuscans were at the bottom of the standings and were forced to fight for survival until the last rounds. The team experienced three coaching resignations of Alfredo Alletti in October succeeded by Giuseppe Pillon , who was fired less than a month later. Guido Carboni, who came in his place, worked until February 12, 2012 , after which Aletti returned to the “coaching bridge”. According to the results of the 2011/12 season, Empoli took only 18th place and had to fight for the right to remain in Serie B with the 19th team, which became Vicenza . The first meeting at a party ended in a goalless draw, and in the return “blue” by the 65th minute they lost 0: 2, but managed to recoup and snatch the victory. The decisive goal in the 4th added minute was held by Maccarone .

Another coach, Maurizio Sarri, was already preparing for the new Tuscan season. Before the start of the season, one point was withdrawn from the club following an investigation into the scandal with contractual matches.

According to the official list on the club's website on August 21, 2018.

•   Renzo Ulivieri (1974-1976)
•   Luigi Simoni (1988-1989)
•   Francesco Guidolin (1991-1992)
•   Luciano Spalletti (1994, 1995-1998)
•   Alberto Malezani (2007-2008)
•   Maurizio Sarri (2012-2015)

• Official site (Italian)
• Empoli official Facebook page
• Empoli on Twitter
• Empoli on Instagram
• https://vk.com/empoli