Preview: Udinese vs Napoli – predictions, team news, line-ups

Looking for a fourth in a row Series A victory, defending champions Naples will travel to mid-table Udinese on Sunday afternoon.

The Scudetto holders may be strongly defending their domestic crown, but their Champions League fate hangs in the balance after a midweek defeat.

Match Preview

Last week, Napoli defeated old foes Juventus to make it five straight wins in all competitions, responding well to a change in formation and personnel caused by several absences.

Rasmus Hojlund’s first Serie A brace decided a heavyweight clash at the Stadio Maradona, where the hosts completed an unbeaten calendar year by getting the better of former boss Luciano Spalletti.

After beating his former club, current Napoli manager Antonio Conte then faced fellow Chelsea alumnus Jose Mourinho on Wednesday night in a bid to reverse a run of disastrous results on the road.

However, after losing sluggishly 2-0 to Benfica in Lisbon, the Partenopei have lost their last five Champions League away matches while conceding 17 goals – and they sit just above the knockout zone with two league matches remaining.

Indeed, five of Napoli’s seven Serie A defeats under Conte have come away, including all three in the current campaign, so they will now travel north to Udine with the intention of defying that trend.

History certainly suggests it’s possible, as the Campanian club are unbeaten in 18 league meetings with Udinese, while winning 14 of them.

Not only have Udinese failed to beat Napoli at home since 2015-16 – when Bruno Fernandes scored a brace in their 3-1 win – but they have also conceded on average almost two goals per game over the last 10 meetings.

Additionally, the Fruilani enter this week’s competition amid a worrying decline in form, which has seen them fall in the standings.

After four defeats in six matches – conceding at least two goals in each defeat – Kosta Runjaic’s side are abandoned in mid-table.

Just days after exiting the Coppa Italia to Juventus, Monday’s league match against Genoa offered a good chance to claim points, particularly after Jakub Piotrowski’s first Serie A goal leveled things up and set up a grandstand finale.

However, Udinese then conceded their 13th goal of the season in the second half – a league high, with Fiorentina at rock bottom – and ninth at home.

The Bianconeri’s next visitors will be keen to exploit such a weakness, so Runjaic may opt to tweak his game plan on Sunday.

Udinese Serie A form:

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Udinese form (all competitions):

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Napoli Serie A form:

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Naples form (all competitions):

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Team News

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With Belgian duo Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne out long-term, Napoli have turned to alternative sources to spark their Serie A renaissance: Hojlund and David Neres have scored four goals in the last three matchdays.

Meanwhile, Eljif Elmas has been forced into an unfamiliar role in central midfield, with Billy Gilmour, Stanislav Lobotka and Frank Anguissa all unavailable – in addition to goalkeeper Alex Meret.

Back in training, Lobotka and Spain winger Miguel Gutierrez could be on the bench this weekend, when Conte may be tempted to freshen up a team that looked jaded in Portugal.

After losing last season’s top scorer Lorenzo Lucca to Napoli this summer, Udinese’s attack is expected to be led by Keinan Davis and Nicolo Zaniolo.

After limping off during last week’s Cup defeat to Juve, French midfielder Arthur Atta has been ruled out with a thigh problem.

With winger Hassane Kamara still doubtful, Rui Modesto could be asked to replace the hosts’ left flank; Jordan Zemura injured his flexor muscles on Monday.

Possible starting line-up of Udinese:

All right ; Bertola, Kabasele, Solet; Zanoli, Ekkelenkamp, ​​Karlström, Piotrowski, Modesto; Zaniolo, Davis

Naples possible starting line-up:

Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, hello; Di Lorenzo, McTominay, Elmas, Spinazzola; Politano, Neres; Hojlund

We say: Udinese 0-1 Napoli

Although their flaws are often exposed in Europe, Napoli tend to get consistent results against the little lights of Serie A.

By extending their fine record in Friuli, the champions will prolong the slowdown of Udinese and put pressure on AC Milan, co-leader.

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