Two points separate these sides after the opening weekend of Serie B, with Empoli one place above Cesena in 9th on 3 points following a 1-0 home win over Cremonese, while Cesena sit 10th on 1 point after drawing 1-1 at home to Sampdoria. Both defences impressed across pre-season and competitive outings, Cesena keeping clean sheets in 3 of their last 5 matches and conceding just 4 goals in that stretch, Empoli conceding only 3 across their last 4. The hosts' form rating of 5.4 out of 10 edges Empoli's 5.1, a negligible gap of 0.3 that reflects the steady start both have made.

Cesena's early attacking profile shows signs of solidity rather than firepower. Their 1.16 expected goals per game from a 6-match sample tells of measured output, supported by 12.7 shots and 4.2 on target per match. They failed to score in 50 percent of those fixtures, a proportion inflated by a 0-3 Coppa Italia defeat at Sassuolo and a goalless friendly draw at Forli, though they also posted twin 3-0 wins over Vis Pesaro and Fossombrone in pre-season. The underlying numbers point to a side that controls possession at 48.2 percent and commits 11.5 fouls per game, avoiding major discipline issues with 1.5 yellow cards on average.

Empoli arrive with a marginally higher expected goals figure of 1.21 per game but lower possession at 39.3 percent, trading control for efficiency on the counter. They have scored in all 4 of their recent outings, including 1-1 cup and friendly draws with Pisa, Livorno and Spezia before their league opener. With 11.3 shots per match and 4.5 on target, their chance creation sits close to Cesena's, though their foul count of 15 per game and 2 yellow cards suggest a more physical, disruptive approach. Clean sheets have come less frequently at 33 percent of fixtures, but their failure to score in only 11 percent underlines consistent threat.

The head to head ledger tilts firmly toward Empoli, who have won 4 of the last 7 meetings to Cesena's single victory. The most recent clash in February 2026 ended 1-1, and Cesena's only triumph in this sequence came in November 2016 with a 2-1 away win at Empoli. The other itemised encounters include three Empoli wins, most notably a 5-3 home success in November 2017 and a 2-3 away victory at Cesena in April 2018. Across those 7 fixtures, both teams scored in 5 and over 2.5 goals landed in 4, averaging 3.57 goals per meeting, a figure that contrasts with the tighter defensive shape both sides have shown this season.

With both averaging almost identical expected goals and modest scoring rates in competitive Serie B action so far, the weight of recent history favours the visitors but the form gap is fractional and the opening league results suggest a contest likely to be settled by narrow margins. A repeat of the 1-1 scoreline from their last meeting would fit the profiles on show, and with Cesena yet to find the offensive rhythm they displayed in pre-season and Empoli proving hard to break down, a low-scoring affair looks the likeliest outcome at kick-off on Tuesday afternoon.