Udinese and Inter Milan will both be looking to return to winning ways when they square up against each other at the Global Energy Stadium on Saturday.
Defending champions Inter Milan have had a disappointing start to the new season; they have only won two out of their first five league games and will be looking for their third win when they hit the road to square up against Udinese.
The home team are currently third on the points table, just a point behind league leaders Torino. They have accumulated 10 points in their first five outings. While Udinese started off with a disappointing draw, they won the next three games before suffering their first defeat of the season.
The hosts are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-0 defeat at the hands of AS Roma. Having won their Coppa Italia fixture against Salernitana midweek, Udinese will be confident about returning to winning ways in Serie A. But they are up against a top team in Inter.
The visitors won the Serie A title last season without much difficulty. But, Inter Milan have not reached similar levels this time out. They won two and drew two before suffering their first defeat of the season at the hands of rivals AC Milan.
The Nerazzurri were in it right until the end but eventually ended up losing 2-1. The defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals would have surely hurt. So, expect Inter to come out all guns blazing in this fixture. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Udinese
The hosts will be without the services of ex-Inter Milan star Alexis Sanchez, who is yet to feature this season. Meanwhile, Udinese do have a boost as Martin Payero and Lautaro Giannetti are expected to be back in the mix.
Kosta Runjaic will return to his preferred XI after having made changes for the mid-week Coppa Italia clash. Udinese will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Maduka Okoye will take charge in goal.
The back three will be made up of Thomas Thiesson Kristensen, Jaka Bijol, and Lautaro Giannetti. While they will look to keep things tight at the back, the central defenders are in for a tough day’s work.
The backline will receive some support from Kingsley Ehizibue and Hassane Kamara, who will feature as the wing-backs. In the centre of the park, Jesper Karlstrom will pair up with Sandi Lovric. They will look to ensure Inter do not end up dictating the pace of the game.
Florian Thauvin and Brenner will feature as the attacking midfielders. While they will also have to do a lot of defending, the duo will be the creative force behind Lorenzo Lucca, who will lead the line for Udinese against Inter Milan.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Okoye; Kristensen, Bijol, Giannetti; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Kamara; Brenner, Thauvin; Lucca
Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi’s team will be without the services of Nicolo Barella, who has picked up a thigh injury. Apart from the Italian international, the Inter Milan manager has all of his stars available for selection against Udinese.
Inzaghi is expected to make a few changes to the XI that started in their last outing, which was a disappointing defeat at the hands of AC Milan. The away side will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Yann Sommer will be in goal. The back three will be made up of Yann Bisseck, Alessandro Bastoni, and Francesco Acerbi.
The central defensive trifecta will aim for a clean sheet, and they will have the support of Matteo Darmian and Federico Dimarco, who will feature as the wing-backs. In the centre of the park, Davide Frattesi should come in place of the injured Barella, and he will most likely pair up with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Hakan Calhanoglu. Star striker Lautaro Martinez will pair up with Marcus Thuram in the final third.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Key Stats
- Udinese have won all four of their home games this season.
- The home team have lost six out of their last seven league games against Inter Milan.
- Udinese’s nine-match unbeaten run in the league was ended by AS Roma last time out.
- Inter have not won any of their last three matches.
- Simone Inzhagi’s team are yet to secure an away win in the season.
Player to Watch
Lautaro Martinez
The Inter Milan skipper has been one of their most reliable players over the years. But of late he has been struggling for form. The 27-year-old Argentine striker is yet to score in the new season, and he only has one assist in his five outings.
Nevertheless, Martinez’s stock remains high, with the latest reports linking him with Barcelona. However, he will be eager to get his name on the scoresheet, and this game against Udinese could be the perfect opportunity for him given the kind of track record Inter Milan have in this fixture.
Prediction
Udinese 1-2 Inter Milan
Both teams are heading into this fixture on the back of a defeat, and they will be eager to return to winning ways. It is going to be a closely fought encounter, but the history of this fixture suggests Inter Milan have the upper hand. They have won six of their last seven outings against Udinese, and it won’t be much of a surprise if they once again get the job done. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the visitors.
