Really good highlights here. Libby absolutely smashing it a few times on that left flank. Almost got a goal, too. With Atalanta winning yesterday, Roma had nothing to play for, and I'm really happy Empoli won and survived. Libby now officially entering the last year of his Empoli contract. Will he get a new deal, be sold, or neither? In the meantime he's earned a few proseccos...
Hopefully this means he's available for both the Nations Cup & Olympics now. If Empoli had got relegated would have been some uncertainty about his club future. He only started 18 of Empoli's 38 Serie A games so physically he should be pretty fresh. Mentally likely a little drained right now!
It was an incredibly tight relegation battle. Any of 4 teams could have finished 18th on the final day and been the final relegated team.
Cannavaro's Udinese won 1-0 at Frosinone in the simultaneous KO. A real relegation 6 pointer. Ex Aston Villa lad Keinan Davis with the 76th min winner for Udinese.
If that game had finished a draw, by my maths Empoli would still have gone down despite beating Roma. The cards fell Empoli's way
Hopefully this means he's available for both the Nations Cup & Olympics now. If Empoli had got relegated would have been some uncertainty about his club future. He only started 18 of Empoli's 38 Serie A games so physically he should be pretty fresh. Mentally likely a little drained right now!
It was an incredibly tight relegation battle. Any of 4 teams could have finished 18th on the final day and been the final relegated team.
Cannavaro's Udinese won 1-0 at Frosinone in the simultaneous KO. A real relegation 6 pointer. Ex Aston Villa lad Keinan Davis with the 76th min winner for Udinese.
If that game had finished a draw, by my maths Empoli would still have gone down despite beating Roma. The cards fell Empoli's way
If the game was a draw, Udinese would have gone down on 35 points :)
Interestingly, in the event that 17th/18th are equal on points, all other tiebreakers are forgotten and teams play essentially a relegation playoff match (the host is decided by whoever had the better head-to-head record between the two).
That would be incredibly tasty action if so! Happened in 22/23 when 18th-placed Hellas Verona stayed up at the expense of Spezia, who finished above them in 17th, after a 3-1 playoff win
Outside chance of getting a call from Big Ange at Tottenham?
Certainly can attack the way Tottenham like!
Pep’s stepping down soon, wait for Des to take over City and go there I reckon
Have to say I’d prefer him at Tottenham without the complication of some sanction hanging over the club… plus I’ve never really warmed to the City football group. Prefer a neutral or a warm colour- white’s okay. Yellow is great! (That said I think he can do better than Wolves or Watford…)
Watched the highlights. They showed about 6/7 Empoli attacking moments. 3 of them were trademark Libby getting into the box, breezing past defenders, getting to the byline even. Guna try to watch more of the game as a whole, but surely he must have some clubs tracking him the way he plays. He’s only going to get better.
Watched the highlights. They showed about 6/7 Empoli attacking moments. 3 of them were trademark Libby getting into the box, breezing past defenders, getting to the byline even. Guna try to watch more of the game as a whole, but surely he must have some clubs tracking him the way he plays. He’s only going to get better.
Sounds like he had a really good game last night. But it was actually his first Serie A start in almost 3 months (3rd March) and he hasn't been injured. In all of that time Empoli have been battling to avoid the drop. https://us.soccerway.com/players/liberato-cacace/467149/
Almost a throw of the dice nothing to lose selection last night by their coach? I think the guy being picked ahead of him was considered better on D?? I remember reading some stuff by Niche Cache that Empoli goals scored was much better with Cacace playing, than not playing this season - even if he has only 1 assist (think that is right) in his entire time in the Serie A.
So yeah why that 3 month non selection from here seems a bit bewildering, Libby must still have some workons with his game, in the eyes of Empoli's coaching staff??
Watched 30 minutes so far and Libby has been given the whole left wing to motor up and down. A lot of space ahead. A very different set up to where he was having to dovetail inside with a winger ahead.
It looks like the coach is playing 3 at the back with wing backs providing width and two up front.
It might also be a specific plan for Roma as they’ve been pressing high and caught Roma out trying to play out a couple of times.
Man it really is a different tone. The Italian co-commentator or at least the commentator without RP talking about how the Roma keeper against an isolated lone striker- ‘It’s such a lovely way to save the ball.’
Maybe others have been watching with Pezella starting and observed the tactics? The other point to make with Libby not starting is that he’s been getting usually at least 20 minutes or more off the bench- perhaps a strategy to run him at tired legs? Who knows. But he’s been in his coaches plans for every game, even if it hasn’t been from a starting position.
But yeh it would be interesting to hear the reasoning or as you say any work ons. But perhaps he is just a thorough bred stallion when sometimes a draft horse is needed.
I guess it comes down to how the manager wants to play next season and what troops he has at his disposal. The commentators also alluded to the difference in funds available between Empoli and Roma!
From Niche Cache A 2-1 win means that they retain their Serie A status for a club record fourth season in a row. It helped them that Roma were guaranteed sixth place no matter what happened, this being a team that beat Empoli 7-0 in the reverse fixture (needless to say Cacace was an unused sub that day). Cacace made 31 appearances throughout the season. They didn’t win any of the seven matches that he missed. In the 1922 minutes that he played, the team scored 1.04 goals and conceded 1.40 per ninety (-0.36). With Pezzella on the pitch (1085 mins), Empoli scored 0.33 goals and conceded 1.40 per ninety (-1.07). Four goals in the equivalent of twelve full matches.
Here’s hoping they hire a new stats analyst ahead of next season... but the important thing is that somehow some way they’ve managed to remain in the Italian top division. Wasn’t looking good for a while there, can’t lie, but a very, very late goal got them over the finish line. Cacace only has one more season on his current deal so that could be something to keep an eye on, though regardless of that we’ve avoided the worst-case scenario of relegation.
Newly demoted Salernitana and former Serie A team Palermo are looking at him
Libby has had an OK, but not great season
He has shown he belongs in Serie A, but could do very well in Serie B, with a view to signing with a leading team in that league
These are just enquiries, not formal offers
Empoli paid €4M for Libby (quite a lot) and it's unlikely to turn a profit even if they sell him
Davide Nicola, Empoli's coach in their latest and miraculous season, is rumoured to be staying next season. He used Libby a lot towards the end of the season, so might want to keep him around.
While not setting the world on fire he's shown he can hack it (maybe just) at Serie A level. Is game time the important factor and it's worth his while dropping down to Serie B and hoping he can help guide either team to promotion. Or should he stick it out and see if a new Serie A contract turns up?
I'm inclined to think he should stay on at Empoli and push for the starting spot week in week out. Being the first choice LB in Serie B is still huge, but I think he's capable and he's still young.
My gut is that he should stay at Empoli or elsewhere in Serie A/a top league. Problem is, it might not fully depend on him. If Empoli decide to sell him, he will probably need to go. No point sitting on the bench or stands. But I think if Nicola stays and Empoli don't bring in someone much better in, he's got a chance.
Coach Nicola and Empoli executives have had a meeting. He's asked for 24 hours to mull their offer over
It sounds like management want to cash in on some players (including Libby??) and re-build, while the coach has asked to retain some of his players
A new Sporting Director is to be announced soon. He will already have some ideas on upcoming transfers
Interestingly, by keeping Empoli safe, the coach has triggered an automatic extension. Apparently Cagliari, whose coach Claudio Ranieri (of Leicester fame) has retired, are trying very hard to sign Nicola. So he has to either forego next year's wages, or Cagliari might need to pay a fee to Empoli (or provide a player as an exchange) in order to acquire his services. You don't see this often which makes this scenario quite cool...
So, in short, everything is up in the air. Hopefully Libby is enjoying his NZ holiday and is keeping in touch with his agent.
I read some more reports about Palermo's interest in Libby. Apparently Empoli have had young Giacomo Corona on loan (in their youth team) from the Sicilian club, a very talented prospect. His release clause says Empoli can buy him for €1M, but Palermo retain the right to re-buy him straight away for €500k. The rumour goes that Palermo could use Corona in order to get a discount for Libby.
Palermo have also appointed Alessio Dionisi as head coach and Morgan De Santis as Sporting Director.
Dionisi led Empoli to Serie A in 2021, before replacing De Zerbi as the Sassuolo Manager, where he had a couple of mid-table finishes before being sacked. De Santis worked as Team Manager and shortly as Sporting Director for Roma, before moving to Salernitana.
From everything I'm seeing and reading, Palermo are doing everything they can do be a serious contender for Serie A promotion next year. It might not be the worst option for Libby, especially if he gets to be heavily involved...
Really think he should stay where he is. If he had two or three yrs on his contract sure. But with one year he has a little power there to say no, I will fight for my place.
While last year was not great in the last and most important game of the season he started.
Dropping down a league at his age just feels wrong as no guarantee he will ever have another opportunity to play in the top league.
Some trivia. Niko Kirwan's Padova played Palermo in the 2021/22 Serie C promotion final over 2 legs.
Kirwan had to miss the June 2022, two legged final, as he was with the All Whites in Qatar for the big Intercontinental WC 2022 playoff against Costa Rica. Kirwan was playing very well back then (started for the AWs in the CR playoff) and was a big loss for Padova.
So yeah Palermo may have strong Serie A promotion ambitions, but not that long ago they were in Serie C.
Socceroo legend Mark Bresciano (that goal against Uruguay) had 4 seasons at Palermo over 2006-2010, playing 107 games. He had one scary moment there. Bresciano was on the pitch on 2 February 2007, when violence broke out outside the stadium in the Catania-Palermo match. He was affected by tear gas as it drifted into the stadium and afterwards described the incident as "completely terrifying".
Also interesting to note that 23 yr old LB Fabiano Parisi, who kept Libby (also 23) mostly on the bench at Empoli, had himself a more challenging year when he moved to Fiorentina last season.
Season 22/23 Parisi started 33 games for Empoli (Libby just 5 starts) Season 23/24 Parisi started only 16 games for Fiorentina (Libby 18 starts at Empoli)
Fiorentina (finished 8th in Serie A, last European spot) obviously a stronger club than Empoli (17th).
Parisi (U21 international) still to be capped by Italy. Though made the senior squad in 2022.
Some trivia. Niko Kirwan's Padova played Palermo in the 2021/22 Serie C promotion final over 2 legs.
Kirwan had to miss the June 2022, two legged final, as he was with the All Whites in Qatar for the big Intercontinental WC 2022 playoff against Costa Rica. Kirwan was playing very well back then (started for the AWs in the CR playoff) and was a big loss for Padova.
So yeah Palermo may have strong Serie A promotion ambitions, but not that long ago they were in Serie C.
Socceroo legend (that goal against Uruguay) had 4 seasons at Palermo over 2006-2010, playing 107 games. He had one scary moment there. Bresciano was on the pitch on 2 February 2007, when violence broke out outside the stadium in the Catania-Palermo match. He was affected by tear gas as it drifted into the stadium and afterwards described the incident as "completely terrifying".
Tbf they were in Serie C (and Serie D) because of financial sanctions which forced the club to be excluded from all competitions and rejoin the Italian pyramid as a Phoenix club.
So they were in Serie C recently, but it looks pretty unlikely that they’ll be back there anytime soon - especially with the financial backing of City Football group.
Libby attracting interest out of the Bundesliga it seems? 1.FC Union Berlin (15th 23/24) & VfL Bochum (16th 23/24 - Survived a relegation playoff on penalties).
Empoli appear to have signed Roberto D'Aversa as manager for next season. He seems to prefer playing 4-3-3 v 3-5-2 which might not be great news for Libby. If memory serves correctly, D'Aversa was actually sent off for headbutting an opposition player in March, was given a 4 match ban, and fired by Lecce. So he won't be allowed to sit in the stands for the first 4 games of the season I believe.
Back to Libby, I've seen these reports of Bundesliga clubs interested in him too. I wonder if he'll consider the Palermo offer as well as they are stacking the team with a view to getting promoted straight to Serie A. Could be a good way to return to the top flight while staying in Italy. Going to another club that's struggling and that will be under a lot of pressure won't give him a chance to show his attacking skills.
Libby for me needs to play in a team that is expected to finish top half of whatever division they play in.
He looks his best when on attachk, so plugging away at a team that is going to struggle won't suit him.
But who knows, maybe the 2 bundesliga teams are looking to invest and will be more competative this time... also the NIX will pick up a little extra money as well from it : )
For what it’s worth, I know Bochum has been obsessed with Cacace (for lack of a better word) since 2019 but never been in a position to grab him. I’d expect a big push to sign him if they have any opportunity
