Udinese vs Napoli Preview: Team News & Prediction
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After a bright start to the campaign Udinese, the Friulians are now struggling and under pressure as they prepare to take on a frustrated title challenger, Napoli, up in the north east of Italy.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 14th December, 2024: UK – 5:00pm / US ET – 12:00pm / US PT – 9:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
How to watch online: UK – OneFootball / US – Paramount+
Udinese Preview: Falling Friulians
Udinese come into this one on the back of a desperately much-needed 2-1 defeat of struggling Monza last weekend with Lorenzo Lucca opening the scoring early on before Jaka Bijol scored a 70th minute winner after Georgios Kyriakopoulos had equalised early in the second-half.
Former Legia Warsaw boss Kosta Runjaic is in charge of an Udinese side that are benefitting from the Pozzo family being more focused on them this season. However, prior to that victory against Monza last weekend, Udinese were winless in their previous five matches.
Napoli Preview: Frustrated Neapolitans
Antonio Conte spent the summer doing his usual thing of complaining about transfer business but a 3-0 loss to Hellas Verona on the opening weekend of the campaign has seen the Neapolitans launch themselves into a title challenge after spending over £100 million.
However, they have been fairly tedious to watch for the neutral and they suffered a 1-0 loss to Lazio at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona last weekend. The visitors’ limited style of football means their last eight Serie A matches have consisted of just 12 goals.
Udinese Team News: A few issues
Udinese are dealing with several absentees for this weekend as defender Isaak Toure is still unavailable due to suspension. As well as the unavailable Toure, they have several injuries such as Makaye Okoye and former Watford striker Keinan Davis.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Sava; Ehizibue, Bijol, Giannetti, Zemura; Oier Zarraga, Lovric, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp; Thauvin, Lucca
Unavailable: Okoye (Injured), Oumar Solet (Injured), Toure (Suspended), Payero (Injured), Gerard Deulofeu (Injured), Sanchez (Injured), Davis (Injured)
Questionable:
Napoli Team News: Finding a spark
Napoli have been unable to blow teams away throughout this campaign and a defeat was coming but Conte is unlikely, as is his wont, to make too many changes for this weekend with an over reliance on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in attacking areas of the pitch.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Mathias Olivera; McTominay, Lobotka, Anguissa; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
Unavailable: Mario Rui (Injured), Mazzocchi (Injured)
Questionable:
Udinese vs Napoli Prediction
Prior to their victory against a struggling Monza side, goals had dried up for Udinese despite the fact Runjaic, especially at Legia Warsaw, has been known for quite an attacking and proactive style of football. They now face a Napoli side that, in almost extreme typical Conte fashion, have been involved in low-scoring encounters throughout the campaign win, lose or draw. Under 2.5 goals seems a good value bet for this one in Friuli.
Udinese vs Napoli Tip: Under 2.5 goals
