Empoli go into Sunday's game at Ancona hoping to avoid the fate that has already befallen their hosts.
Ancona were relegated on April 4 after a home defeat to Sampdoria and have been playing the remainder of the season to salvage their pride. In the week after their loss to Samp, they upset Bologna 3-2 but have fallen on hard times
again with successive setbacks against Lazio, Chievo and Parma.
Against Empoli, who beat them earlier in the season 2-0, they can play the role of spoilers with the Tuscans themselves on 30 points and third-bottom.
Empoli are a point adrift of Reggina and Siena with just two games remaining and four points clear of Perugia.
Attilio Perotti, the coach of Empoli, will be looking for Ighli Vannucchi to have the same type of influence he had one week ago when he led Empoli to a 2-0 win over Bologna. One free-kick by Vannucchi created to the first goal and then the Italy Under-21 international fired in the second direct from another dead ball situation.
"I have seen the players very motivated," said Perotti.
"We need to play with the same concentration at Del Conero stadium for this is the biggest game of our lives."
"We are playing in order to remain in Serie A next season and we can only think of a victory."
Ancona will be determined to mark their last home game in Italy's top flight with a win that would allow them to avoid holding the worst record in Serie A's history, which is currently held by Brescia who only claimed 12 points in the 1994-95 campaign.
The Biancorossi have only managed one win and seven draws in 30 games and already hold another record in the current campaign: in 11 consecutive games, Giovanni Galeone's outfit have given away a whopping 29 goals.
"On Sunday we will try to get a victory, hoping not to be surprised," said Galeone whose team have the worst defence and attack of the competition.
Empoli will have to do without injured players Pasquale Foggia and Paolo Zanetti, but have recovered striker Antonio Busce.
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