The 1998-99 campaign delivered a devastating end for Empoli as the Azzurri were relegated from Serie A after finishing a crushing 18th and last in the table. Despite the valiant efforts of the squad, which had to contend with a two-point deduction, they could not secure their top-flight status. Leading the fight with determination was striker Arturo Di Napoli, whose crucial 11 goals proved decisive in the attack and made him the club's top scorer. It was a painful year that marked the end of their spell in the elite and remains a difficult, but defining, chapter in the club's history.