Serie A | Gameweek 19

Jan 4, 2025 at 7.45pm UK

Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi

Hellas Verona vs Udinese

Match preview

Taking full advantage of their hosts being reduced to 10 men, Verona upset the odds to defeat in-form Bologna at the Stadio Dall'Ara in the final match of 2024.

Strikers Amin Sarr and Casper Tengstedt both scored in the first half, but the Rossoblu fought back to set up a dramatic finale, with an 88th-minute own goal sealing victory and sparking wild celebrations.

Paolo Zanetti's side started the new year in 16th place, with 18 points from as many games - four clear of the relegation zone.

However, the Gialloblu go into Saturday's game having lost their last three home games, scoring just once and conceding ten times in the process.

Home or away, Hellas have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 15 league games and, unsurprisingly, have the worst defensive record in the Italian top flight.

However, they have shut out Udinese in four of the last five meetings at the Stadio Bentegodi, including a 1-0 win last season when Diego Coppola scored the only goal deep into second-half stoppage time.

History may not be on their side this weekend, but Udinese can certainly take some improved form into their season opener.

Last week, an eventful 2-2 draw at home to Torino could have easily ended in victory, but after Lorenzo Lucca's trademark header for the second goal, the Friulians conceded twice to drop two precious points.

Udinese have now scored eight headed goals in Serie A this season, only Atalanta BC have scored fewer in Europe's top five leagues, and only Getafe (36%) have scored more in percentage terms (35%).

Despite missing out on a fifth home win, the point leaves them ninth in the table and nearing the midway point of a promising campaign.

Having narrowly survived relegation to Serie B last season, Udinese have made a bright start to the campaign and recent results have helped them regain some lost momentum: Kosta Runjaic's men have lost just one of their last four league games, having taken just one point from their previous five.

The Bianconeri have won their last two away games in Serie A by the same 2-1 scoreline, against Monza and Fiorentina respectively. Curiously, the last time they recorded three points on the spin was in October 2022 - the first against Monza and the third against none other than Verona.

Recent Performance

Hellas Verona Serie A form:LLLWLW

Udinese Serie A form:DLWLWD

Udinese form (all competitions):LWLLWD

Team News

Once again, Verona will be without Martin Frese, as well as long-term absentees Juan Cruz and Abdou Harroui, but captain Darko Lazovic is available after being rested for last week's win at Bologna.

Hellas coach Paolo Zanetti has hinted that his captain has been replaced due to illness, so the veteran winger should be in contention on Saturday.

Up front, Amin Sarr and Benfica loanee Casper Tengstedt, Verona's top scorer with six Serie A goals this season, could reunite.

Meanwhile, Udinese's top scorer Lorenzo Lucca has netted three times in his last four league appearances - as many as he had in his previous 12. With just one more strike, the Italy international would equal his tally for the entire 2023-24 campaign.

Oier Zarraga, Keinan Davis, Lautaro Giannetti and first-choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye remain sidelined for the Bianconeri, but Danish defender Thomas Kristensen has overcome a virus and Kosta Runjaic has a number of options in attack.

Veteran striker Alexis Sanchez recently returned to action, while Brenner and Iker Bravo are also in the mix behind the current pairing of Lucca and Florian Thauvin.

Possible starting lineup

Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:

Montipo; Dawidowicz, Coppola, Ghilardi; Tchatchoua, Duda, Serdar, Lazovic; Suslov; Sarr, Tengstedt

Udinese possible starting lineup:

Sava; Kristensen, Bijol, Toure; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp, ​​Zemura; Thauvin, Lucca