Kolo Muani Double Helps Juve To Empoli Win, Inter Set For Key Milan Derby

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As champions Inter Milan prepare for a crucial derby with AC Milan, Randal Kolo Muani continued his excellent start at Juventus with a 4-1 victory over Juventus on Sunday.

As Juve rallied from falling behind early and moved into Italy’s Champions League positions, Kolo Muani scored twice in three minutes in the second half, with Dusan Vlahovic and Francisco Conceicao scoring late on.

If Lazio defeat Cagliari, who are currently in trouble, on Monday night, they will move one point clear of Juve.

On February 2, 2025, during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Empoli at the “Allianz Stadium” in Turin, Portugal’s #7 Francisco Conceicao (L) celebrates with teammate #12 Renato Veiga (C) after scoring their team’s fourth goal. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

After half-time and trailing to a fourth-minute header from old boy Mattia De Sciglio, Thiago Motta’s inconsistent side had been greeted with boos and whistles.

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Kolo Muani, who made his Juve debut against league leaders Napoli last weekend, equalized the score with a 61st minute finish.

The 26-year-old then unexpectedly took the hosts’ lead three minutes later by diverting Timothy Weah’s hapless long-range effort past Devis Vasquez’s despairing grasp.

On February 2, 2025, during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Empoli at the “Allianz Stadium” in Turin, Serbia’s #9 Dusan Vlahovic (R) and #35 Luca Marianucci’s Italian defender #35 Luca Marianucci fight for the ball. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

With six minutes left, Empoli was reduced to 10 when Youssef Maleh received two bookings, the second for a wild challenge on Nicolas Gonzalez.

Vlahovic, who was traded for Kolo Muani and is expected to leave Juve in the summer, scored his first goal since mid-December in the 90th minute before Conceicao put stoppage time on the board.

Empoli are now one point clear of the relegation zone and have now collected two points from their previous eight matches, so Sunday’s display was not particularly convincing and at the final whistle was met with muted celebrations.

Later, when Inter face a disorganized Milan team, Simone Inzaghi’s in-form side is attempting to win the first derby of the season on three occasions, Inter can put pressure on Napoli.

On February 2, 2025, during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Empoli at the “Allianz Stadium” in Turin, France’s #20 Randal Kolo Muani (R) and Empoli’s #02 Saba Goglichidze fight for the ball. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

A victory at a packed San Siro, which will have some of its color lost as a result of the police’s ban on pre-game fan displays, would lift Inter to 53 points and Napoli to fierce rivals Roma in the late game.

The Italian police’s serious crime unit DIGOS has ordered the stand-covering displays as part of a crackdown against the two clubs’ hardcore ultra supporters.

In connection with a probe into illegal profits arising from matches and the annexation of mafia gangs into supporters groups, 19 prominent ultras from Milan and Inter were detained in September.