Empoli U20 vs Como U20 - Campionato Primavera - 1

There is a notable edge to this Campionato Primavera - 1 fixture. When Empoli U20 meet Como U20 at the home ground on August 23, 2026, both will sense an opportunity to land a telling blow. Catch up with all the action from Chelsea's pre-season clash with AC Milan.

The two sides arrive with plenty to prove, and the Campionato Primavera - 1 contest at the home ground offers a chance to lay down a marker. Empoli U20 have been picking up results at a respectable clip, WDDW over their last five with a season win rate of 50%. The visitors have been hard to predict on their travels, D in their last five reflecting a win rate of 25%. One side has leaned on a miserly defence, the other on a free-scoring attack, and the meeting of those contrasting strengths promises an intriguing tactical subtext. Adam Bate examines Joao Moutinho's extraordinary longevity as the Braga midfielder turns 40 years old In Portugal, Sporting also dropped points late in the game as they conceded in stoppage time at Famalicao despite the home side being down to 10 men.

Wing play is likely to be central to the contest. Empoli U20 will look to stretch the pitch and isolate their wide attackers, while Como U20 must find a way to compress the space and choke the supply lines. Rico Lewis played at right-back, but when City were in possession he tucked infield and supported the midfield pairing of Mateo Kovacic and Reijnders.

Game-changers are scattered across both line-ups, and the contest may well be decided by which side's match-winners deliver on the day. The battle in midfield, where both sides look to control tempo, could prove the decisive arena. Liverpool have big hopes for Jeremy Jacquet having invested £60m to bring the highly regarded young central defender to Anfield this summer.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. Neither side holds a clear edge, and a 2-2 draw would be a fitting reflection of the balance between them. With positions in the Campionato Primavera - 1 table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. The team currently most likely to win the 2026 WNBA Finals according to Opta.