Serie A: Valuable Points Up for Grabs in Udine

Udinese vs Lazio

Two distant challengers for the European football spots will square off this weekend, as Udinese will host Lazio at the Bluenergy Stadium on Saturday evening.

Udinese have been consistently inconsistent in the past few weeks, alternating wins and losses in their last five matches (W2, L3). Kosta Runjaic’s side is 12th in the Serie A standings with 21 points, level with 11th-seeded Cremonese and 10th-seeded Sassuolo, and is two points adrift of their visitors ahead of their final league game of the calendar year. I Friulani can actually leapfrog their counterparts with a win here, which would go a long way for their top-half pursuit.

On the other hand, Lazio are eighth in the Italian top-flight table with 23 points – two points adrift of sixth-seeded Bologna. Maurizio Sarri’s men are undefeated in their last four matches across all competitions.

Learn more about these two teams, courtesy of today’s SBOTOP preview.

 

Talking Points

Udinese have a goalkeeper problem

Udinese will be without their first-choice goalkeeper for a while for the second time this season, as Maduka Okoye landed himself in hot water once again. The 26-year-old German international, who was investigated for betting irregularities a few months ago, cost Udinese dearly last weekend.

Okoye was expelled just eight minutes into Sunday’s 5-1 loss against relegation-haunted Fiorentina for his reckless tackle on Moise Kean outside the box. Since then, Fiorentina found their missing spark and eventually won their first game this season. With Okoye on the sidelines for at least two games, substitute stopper Razvan Sava will have his chance to prove his worth.

I Friulani will also be without wing-backs Jordan Zemura and Rui Modesto, with the former being injured and the latter competing for Angola in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. Ivorian forward Vakoun Bayo is also in AFCON action, while Arthur Atta has yet to return from a thigh injury. Hassane Kamara returned to the bench against Fiorentina and should have a prominent role against Lazio.

Kosta Runjaic’s side will continue to rely on the dynamic duo of Keinan Davis and Nicolo Zaniolo, who have eight league goals and two assists combined so far this season. But neither of them has scored this month.

 

Selection issues for Lazio

The Biancocelesti cannot afford to drop more points amid such a tightly-packed fight for European football berths, and head coach Maurizio Sarri faces a lineup dilemma against Udinese this Saturday.

Mattia Zaccagni is back after serving his suspension, and the skipper will lead the front once more alongside Taty Castellanos and Matteo Cancellieri, relegating Pedro to the bench. The 30-year-old forward is Lazio’s joint-top scorer with three league goals this term.

However, neither Toma Basic nor Matteo Guendouzi is available due to suspension, while Nicolo Rovella remains in the medical room. Samuel Gigot is also dealing with an ankle injury, while Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Boulaye Dia are playing in the Africa Cup of Nations. 

 

History

Udinese have had Lazio’s number recently, having gone undefeated against them in three of their last four league meetings. Last season, Udinese won 2-1 at home in August 2024, despite being one man short, and they shared the spoils with the Biancocelesti in the reverse fixture last March, with Florian Thauvin and Alessio Romagnoli on the scoresheet.

Lazio failed to qualify for Europe last season, despite being level with Fiorentina, due to an inferior goal difference. Eager to turn their fortunes around, they reappointed Maurizio Sarri at the helm after a 15-month sabbatical.

Meanwhile, Udinese finished 12th in the table last term, and are hoping to return to European football. I Friulani haven’t played in Europe since the 2012-13 Europa League, where they finished at the bottom of Group A (four points).

 

Betting Tip

The Serie A 2025 odds predict a tight affair between Udinese and Lazio, despite their gap in the standings. Because they’re in better form, Lazio have the slight advantage at 2.47, whereas Udinese aren’t far behind at 2.80, and a draw is at 2.95 in the 1X2 market.

So, choosing the winner of this contest is a tough call. Regardless, we expect these two calcios to produce new Serie A 2025 highlights for fans to enjoy before the New Year. Besides our recommended bet, bettors may also want to add Over 2.00 at 1.74, Over 2.25 at 2.03, and Over 2.50 at 2.35 to the parlay. Furthermore, a Correct Score of 1-1 – the outcome of their last league encounter – will offer you a solid payday of 5.70 your bet this holiday season.

   

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