Avellino suffered a 1-0 defeat against Empoli on Sunday, May 3, 2026, but the playoff dream for the Wolves is still alive and will be decided on the final matchday. Despite the negative result at the Castellani, the Irpinia team is preparing for a crucial home challenge against Modena, scheduled for Friday, May 8, at the Partenio stadium.

The match against Empoli saw football reveal its most deceptive side. After Lovato's header goal in the 58th minute, Avellino sought a reaction. Goalkeeper Giovanni Daffara performed a double miracle, saving two penalties from the same opponent, Shpendi, in the 70th and 72nd minutes, but it wasn't enough. In the 82nd minute, Pandolfi came close to an equalizer, but his shot was promptly saved by Fulignati.

Coach Ballardini did not hide his disappointment with his team's performance. "We didn't play a good game. Empoli deserved to win; they had more anger, were more practical, determined. We were a bit sluggish and lacked quality," he honestly stated. He emphasized how Empoli, with more to lose, transformed desperation into energy on the field.

Giovanni Daffara reinforced this, highlighting the difference in approach. "We lacked the hunger that Empoli had. In these games, if you don't match the opponents' hunger, you lose them," explained the Biancoverde goalkeeper. This is an unwritten law of late-season football, where motivation can make all the difference.

Despite the defeat, Giovanni Daffara's performance between the posts was exceptional. After saving Shpendi's first penalty in the 70th minute, the referee ordered a retake due to Daffara's early movement. Undeterred, Daffara saved the second attempt in the 72nd minute as well. "It's pleasing that I saved the second one too. That's where psychological games with the opponent come in, and I was good at it," commented the goalkeeper, who maintains a healthy competition with Iannarilli.

The defeat in Empoli is not a catastrophe, but a postponed appointment. Avellino still has a concrete chance to access the playoffs. The home challenge against Modena represents the last call, a do-or-die match that will decide the fate of the Wolves' season.