As the year draws to a close, Udinese and Torino prepare to face off in what promises to be an exciting encounter in Serie A on Sunday afternoon. Both teams, currently positioned in the mid-table, are eager to secure crucial points in their final match of 2024.
Udinese come into this match with a boost of confidence after a remarkable comeback victory against Fiorentina, where they triumphed 2-1. This win marked their second victory in three matches, solidifying their place in the top half of the table. The team’s forward duo, Lorenzo Lucca and Florian Thauvin, have been instrumental, each contributing to the scoreline against Fiorentina. Despite their recent successes, Udinese have struggled at home, suffering three consecutive defeats prior to their latest win.
In contrast, Torino’s form has been concerning as they continue to slide down the standings. The team have only managed to score two goals in their last eight league matches, highlighting a significant struggle in their attacking department. Their most recent outing ended in a disappointing 2-0 loss to Bologna, leaving them sitting 12th in the league.
Historically, Torino hold a slight edge over Udinese, having won 10 of their last 18 encounters. However, Udinese have shown resilience in year-ending fixtures, losing only two of their last 13 such matches. This statistic provides them with hope as they look to improve upon their recent head-to-head record against Torino.
Team News
For Udinese, coach Kosta Runjaic may welcome back key defender Jaka Bijol after he missed the previous match due to muscular fatigue. Midfielder Martin Payero has also returned to training but may not be fully fit for this clash. The absence of first-choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye and other players like Oier Zarraga and Keinan Davis will be felt.
Torino will be without long-term injury absentee Duvan Zapata and faces challenges with strikers Che Adams and Antonio Sanabria struggling for form. Sanabria has yet to score against Udinese in his previous eight attempts, which adds pressure on him as they seek goals.
Expected Starting XIs
Udinese (3-5-2): Sava; Kristensen, Bijol, Toure; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp, Zemura; Thauvin, Lucca
Torino (3-5-2): Milinkovic-Savic; Maripan, Coco, Masina; Pedersen, Ricci, Linetty, Vlasic, Sosa; Adams, Sanabria
Match Prediction
Given Udinese’s recent resurgence and home advantage, they are favored to secure a narrow victory over Torino. With a more potent attack and the ability to capitalize on defensive weaknesses shown by Torino recently, a predicted scoreline of 1-0 in favor of Udinese seems plausible.
Prediction: Udinese 1-0 Torino
