Liberato Cacace (Wrexham | Wales)

Going to be chasing the game. Lecce nick an early one 1-0.

Edit: disastrous start for Empoli. They shell a one on one after a keeper error and then Lecce, one of the lowest scorers in the division apparently, bang in a second. 10 minutes played 2-0!

Absolute madness.

Empoli’s keeper has saved two further 1 v 1s and their main CB has asked to be subbed and been obliged. 

Edit: first half ends without further damage to the score line, but with the observation by the commentators that it’s as if the Empoli players had never played together before. It’s so true though- they lack all fluidity and can scarcely string 3 passes together, so different from the team I saw last.

Libby has won a corner, an attacking free kick and sent in a threatening corner, but not added to his assist or goal count…

martinb

Absolute madness.

Empoli’s keeper has saved two further 1 v 1s and their main CB has asked to be subbed and been obliged. 

Edit: first half ends without further damage to the score line, but with the observation by the commentators that it’s as if the Empoli players had never played together before. It’s so true though- they lack all fluidity and can scarcely string 3 passes together, so different from the team I saw last.

Libby has won a corner, an attacking free kick and sent in a threatening corner, but not added to his assist or goal count…

The old reverse jinx, Martinb! Like Royz in his prime. Another goal for Libby, hopefully kick starting the comeback

Unfortunately Lecce grab a 3rd at 91 mins, to win 3-1. 
Full game Libby

Highlights here.
Not at fault for any of the goals and scored a nice header. Unlucky not to get a brace.

He's having a nice little run of minutes further up the pitch. Shows just how versatile he is, getting Serie A minutes at centre half, fullback, left midfield and now a wide 10. 

Good for the national team, even though that's where we arguably have the most depth already

newzealandpower

Highlights here.
Not at fault for any of the goals and scored a nice header. Unlucky not to get a brace.

just an aside, watching Italian coverage is great because I reckon they record their coverage at a higher frame rate than many other leagues.

Jazzy Jeff

He's having a nice little run of minutes further up the pitch. Shows just how versatile he is, getting Serie A minutes at centre half, fullback, left midfield and now a wide 10. 

Good for the national team, even though that's where we arguably have the most depth already

It must be a real tactical education! 
He spent some of the time in the CF position. They’d play all these little triangles out wide and he’d hare off in to the centre. 
Have to be honest, he might be the best back up for Wood now!

A wide 10…hmm. It really did feel like he was being encouraged to get right into the front line at times. You could see his position for his second good chance.

Anyway it’s fascinating. You can see why Chief loves his tactics if this is a league he’s grown up watching. 

Watched all that way, but half time a bridge to far! Did have a feeling they’d pick up after half time because they were just so bad in that first half. 

Another angle of his latest goal.
Lots of empty seats. Do Italians bugger off somewhere warm in January?

📹⚽ @Libby2709 💪 pic.twitter.com/j6ZvnHZ5sU

— Empoli Football Club Official (@EmpoliFC) January 12, 2025

coochiee

Another angle of his latest goal.
Lots of empty seats. Do Italians bugger off somewhere warm in January?

📹⚽ @Libby2709 💪 pic.twitter.com/j6ZvnHZ5sU

— Empoli Football Club Official (@EmpoliFC) January 12, 2025

Might have walked out after the first half! 
Southern Italy has to be warmer yeh? 

Empoli (14th) travel to Inter Milan (2nd)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/01/19/italy/serie-a/fc-internazionale-milano/empoli-fc/4396967/

Screenshot_20-1-2025_9940_www.bbc.com.jpeg 105.04 KB

Interesting position for Cacace, starting today

Might play there for the AWs in March, if Old still not fit and FDV playing so well for Auckland 

83 mins for Libby (2-1) at the San Siro in a 3-1 loss.

Niche Cache.

Liberato Cacace: “In the last few seasons I've lacked a few numbers but this time I'm scoring goals and providing assists, so I have to continue like this to help the team. Yes, it's true, I'm playing more and also in a more advanced role. I feel very good at the moment. In addition to being a full-back and a wing-back, my natural role, I also like this position where I can play further forward. As a winger I can go one-on-one with the opponent and attack the penalty area to score goals.”

Empoli (15th) host Bologna (7th)

No start this time for Libby. Off the pine at 82 mins (1-1) for LB Pezzella in a 1-1 draw.

Next a trip to Turin to play the Old Lady

Bit of a crap day for NZ football. I’ve got used to one out of the 3 of Nix, Woodsie or Libby having a good game of late! Libby back to the bench, Wood marshaled in a 5-0 and the Nix…

Rumour 🚨

Turkish club Beşiktaş, managed by former Manchester United player and coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær, are interested in signing Liberato Cacace.

[@DiMarzio] pic.twitter.com/nRaQFjE07a

— Kiwis In Football (@KiwisInFootball) January 31, 2025

Libby to Besiktas? Personally would prefer he finds a starting role in a top 5 league.

Friar Tuck

Rumour 🚨

Turkish club Beşiktaş, managed by former Manchester United player and coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær, are interested in signing Liberato Cacace.

[@DiMarzio] pic.twitter.com/nRaQFjE07a

— Kiwis In Football (@KiwisInFootball) January 31, 2025

Libby to Besiktas? Personally would prefer he finds a starting role in a top 5 league.

Yup, especially since it seems Besiktas are on the decline atm so there wouldn't even be the appeal of European football.

A plus is the Solksjaer connection might be able to get him further up the UK pyramid. And possibly Solksjaer might give him freedom to rampage. 

But minuses are that currently it’d be a step down in level. He’s got a great story for Serie A and he’s got some language ability. He’s starting to build a case for a big move, but hasn’t quite got there then. It might be more difficult to do that in Turkey. The worst would be the club wanting to shift him on, because this manager has utilised his variety of skills best or at least most productively, and seems to be a very good manager. I think Empoli is a good fit for him and if he can stay he should. 

That said I don’t know Turkish football well, but it seems more a place that players go, rather than come from via a vis the EPL.

Empoli (14th) travel to Juve (5th)

Libby starting at LWB, in a back 3/5. Pezzella is suspended.

Empoli with a 4th min goal to be up 1-0.

Empoli concede 4 goals post 60 mins to lose 4-1. Went down to 10 men at 84 mins (2-1)

Full game Libby

Friar Tuck

Rumour 🚨

Turkish club Beşiktaş, managed by former Manchester United player and coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær, are interested in signing Liberato Cacace.

[@DiMarzio] pic.twitter.com/nRaQFjE07a

— Kiwis In Football (@KiwisInFootball) January 31, 2025

Libby to Besiktas? Personally would prefer he finds a starting role in a top 5 league.

Good to see Empoli didn’t agree to this

The thing is, they are yet to renew his contract which expires at the end of the season.
Turkey is well below the Serie A, but they will likely offer pretty stupid money...he's now playing regularly and putting himself in the shop window. Empoli need to tread fairly carefully 

In the article it says he has 18 months left - did he have an extension they triggered?

Empoli (16th) host AC Milan (8th)

MetalLegNZ

In the article it says he has 18 months left - did he have an extension they triggered?

Maybe? I've not seen that anywhere though 

Full game as Empoli lose again at home. They have the second worst home record in the league...8 points from 12 games and only 5 goals scored.
Despite their early success, they have now slipped to 17th, only 1 point above Parma, who have a game in hand. Should Parma overtake them, they'd find themselves in the relegation zone

Libby on the front page of r/Soccer for nearly breaking Kyle Walker’s leg lol.

https://reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1iktikd/cacace_foul_on_kyle_walker_milan_vs_empoli/

Mr versatile Libby. Up forward again and a full game. Milan down to 10 men at 55 mins, but Empoli their own costly red card at 65 mins when still 0-0

Christian Pulisic 2 assists for Milan

Should buy himself a lotto ticket. That's a straight red. Incredible decision by VAR

Liberato Cacace vs Kyle Walker’s ankle… VAR had a peek and said it was fine so no dramas (he didn’t even get a yellow lol) #FlyingKiwis pic.twitter.com/UrU5baXzIl

— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) February 8, 2025

lol yeh. For all me very real grizzles about a league refs, every league in the world is the same. Arsenal fans are convinced it’s against them after Declan Rice’s yellow/red for kicking the ball away on a restart. Forest with their complaints last season. Transition teams complaining about the play on rule which means it’s harder to get a yellow earlier in play. Rumblings about getting an elite international force to match the elite collection of international players and managers in the EPL, because local refs are biased to their boyhood clubs and so on. 

And if I had to guess from ‘It’s coming [to] Rome” English players, especially those complaining don’t have a great lot of sympathy in Italy! 

Fairly sure Libby got sent when playing for the Nix for something similar, follow through into the shins after getting the ball first. 

All publicity is good publicity? 

I hate when fouls are called for players collecting the opposition after winning the ball. It means they got there first, if you stick your leg there afterwards, that's on you for being to slow IMO.

You either win the ball or you don't.

Bullshark. You should be able to attempt to get the ball without reckless disregard for the safety of your opponent. If you can't, you shouldn't make the challenge. If you're flying into somebody and you just happen to get a nick on the ball you're out of control. If you think it is fine to gamble with the health of another person in order to get possession of the ball in a game then you're a psycho. 

Gees if Libby gets to the ball first, VAR has better eyes than me

Regardless it’s a red card

MetalLegNZ

I hate when fouls are called for players collecting the opposition after winning the ball. It means they got there first, if you stick your leg there afterwards, that's on you for being to slow IMO.

You either win the ball or you don't.

There's nothing in the laws about winning the ball making something not a foul. You can hate it all you want, it's simply not relevant in a challenge like this.

coochiee

Should buy himself a lotto ticket. That's a straight red. Incredible decision by VAR

Liberato Cacace vs Kyle Walker’s ankle… VAR had a peek and said it was fine so no dramas (he didn’t even get a yellow lol) #FlyingKiwis pic.twitter.com/UrU5baXzIl

— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) February 8, 2025

How does that freshly coined phrase from the other day go?

"There's contact, but it's not a foul"

🤭

Jokes aside, fully agreed on the red card call. Very lucky lad.