After two consecutive away trips, Udinese return to the Stadio Friuli in search of a much-needed spark to revive their floundering Serie A campaign. Kosta Runjaić’s men are on a worrying three-game losing streak and now find themselves winless in their last four league outings (D1, L3), with just two goals scored in that stretch—a clear indicator of their attacking struggles.
Their last appearance on home soil ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Hellas Verona, halting a promising three-game winning run at the Friuli. The task doesn’t get any easier with the arrival of AC Milan, and with a record of W1, D1, L4 at home against higher-ranked sides, the odds appear stacked against the Little Zebras. Supporters shouldn’t expect fireworks early on either—Udinese’s home matches have produced just three goals in the opening 15 minutes all season, tying for the lowest in Serie A during that period.
AC Milan, meanwhile, are also stuttering in their quest for European qualification. A dramatic comeback to draw 2-2 against Fiorentina highlighted their resolve but also underlined their vulnerability at the start of games—they’ve conceded first in five of their last six matches. Winless in three competitive fixtures (D2, L1), the Rossoneri arrive in Udine having also suffered a 2-1 defeat to Napoli in their last away trip.
Milan’s form on the road continues to be a concern, losing six of their last eight away games (W2), and conceding at least twice in each of their last four Serie A away matches—the first time that’s happened since December 2023. They’ve also allowed two or more goals on their last two visits to Udinese, further fuelling concerns for Stefano Pioli’s side.
Players to Watch:
Lorenzo Lucca remains a beacon of hope for Udinese, having netted six of his ten league goals as game openers—each of his last three strikes has broken the deadlock. For Milan, Luka Jović has begun to find his rhythm, scoring in each of the last two Serie A games. All seven of his most recent league goals have come after the break, including a late equaliser in last season’s thrilling 3-2 win in this fixture.
Hot Stat:
Udinese have impressively kept a first-half clean sheet in eight straight home matches (HT: W5, D3), a stat that could play a key role in a low-scoring, tightly contested affair.
