Napoli vs Udinese

Napoli will be aiming to maintain the grip on top-placed AC Milan when they encounter bottom-half Udinese in a must-win Serie A match at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Napoli’s hopes of wrapping up their elusive first Scudetto since 1989/90 received a boost last weekend, courtesy of a hard-fought 2-1 victory away to Hellas Verona. But a lack of consistency continues to torment head coach Luciano Spalletti, with ‘I Partenopei’ picking up only two wins from their last five Serie A matches (D2, L1). Before falling to a 1-0 defeat to Milan in their top-table six-point, Napoli had gone three home league games without losing (W2, D1) despite scoring precisely one goal twice in that spread of fixtures. Yet, they go into this encounter as odds-on favourites, having won each of their last seven top-flight H2Hs in Naples by an aggregate score of 22-7. But Spalletti’s men haven’t kept a clean sheet in three of their four home league outings in 2022, which has been the case in their last four Serie A H2Hs in southern Italy.

On the other hand, Udinese’s run of four league matches without defeat (W1, D3) has bolstered their bid to ensure Serie A survival come May, as they enter this round harbouring an eight-point lead on 18th-placed Venezia. Interestingly, each of those three draws yielded the same 1-1 scoreline, seeing Udinese hold the likes of Milan, Lazio and Roma winless. However, only Salernitana (8) and Torino (10) have accrued fewer away points than Udinese (11) this Serie A season, with Gabriele Cioffi’s side alternating between draws (2) and defeats (2) across their last four top-flight travels. A lack of firepower up front saw ‘I Friulani’ firing blanks on three occasions during that four-game sequence, which could be a massive problem against the league’s best defensive side.