Udinese vs Como - prediction, team news, lineups

After past term's stunning top-four finish, Como volition footwear disconnected the caller Serie A run with a travel to Udinese connected Saturday. 

Languishing successful Italy's 3rd tier conscionable six years ago, the Lariani are present preparing for Champions League football; meanwhile, their hosts person already made a palmy commencement to the 2026-27 season.

Match preview

Udinese were backmost successful competitory enactment past weekend, hosting Serie B broadside Padova successful the Coppa Italia, and a first-half onslaught from main antheral Keinan Davis proved capable to unafraid progress.

Before returning to the cupful aboriginal adjacent month, erstwhile they volition invited Venezia to Udine successful circular two, the Fruilani are acceptable to commencement their latest league campaign. 

Now approaching his 3rd twelvemonth successful charge, Kosta Runjaic led them to 10th spot past season, continuing a dependable trajectory of betterment since helium took charge.

Amid a engaged summertime fielding bids for respective stars - with Arthur Atta and Thomas Kristensen the main departures to day - they experienced mixed fortunes during pre-season. 

Having mislaid 3 of their archetypal 4 friendlies, the Bianconeri past bushed some Nottingham Forest and Barcelona successful antithetic circumstances: a brace of 1-0 wins successful 45-minute matches helped the hosts assertion the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup.

So, aft gathering much momentum with their Coppa Italia triumph past clip out, they should beryllium acceptable for a investigating opener successful Serie A.

En way to pipping AC Milan and Juventus to Champions League qualification past season, Como drew 0-0 with Udinese successful aboriginal April, earlier back-to-back defeats near their hopes hanging by a thread.

Inspired by much-admired manager Cesc Fabregas, the Lariani past responded with 4 wins from their past 5 fixtures, which was conscionable capable to snatch 4th spot connected the last matchday.

Not lone that, but the Lombardy nine besides reached their archetypal Coppa Italia semi-final, narrowly losing 3-2 connected aggregate to eventual winners Inter Milan aft a precocious second-leg illness astatine San Siro.

Serie A's biggest spenders since they returned to the apical formation 2 years ago, Como are starting to spot superior results, arsenic 44 points accrued successful 2026 is simply a tally lone bettered by Scudetto holders Inter.

While cardinal creator Nico Paz - who has since been signed semi-permanently from Real Madrid - and apical scorer Tasos Douvikas claimed astir of the headlines, they besides kept a league-high 19 cleanable sheets successful 2025-26.

Eagerly awaiting their archetypal European adventure, Como are backed by super-rich owners and person large ambitions nether Fabregas, truthful they volition expect to marque a accelerated commencement connected Saturday.

Udinese signifier (all competitions):

Como pre-season form:

Team News

Udinese person kept a reasonably settled squad, but rising prima Atta and cardinal defender Kristensen person left, portion Jordan Zemura, Martin Payero and Iker Bravo took the acquainted way to sister nine Watford.

New boys Unai Gomez and Mergim Vojvoda - the second of whom signed from Como - whitethorn diagnostic connected Saturday evening. 

However, Giorgi Chakvetadze - who took the reverse way to Zemura - is presently injured and Alessandro Zanoli has yet to retrieve from his ACL rupture; Christian Kabasele indispensable service a suspension.

Against Padova, Nicolo Zaniolo supported past term's 10-goal apical scorer Davis, and they should beryllium paired again this weekend.

Meanwhile, Douvikas racked up 14 goals successful Serie A past play - lone Capocannoniere Lautaro Martinez managed much - and the Greek striker is acceptable to pb Como's attack.

After breaking into the lineup midway done the 2025-26 campaign, Martin Baturina has go an influential player, and helium scored successful the caller affable against Arsenal; with 18 top-flight extremity involvements past term, Paz is the visitors' prima man.

Summer signings Trevoh Chalobah, Kaiki and Yan Couto could each get immoderate minutes successful Udine: lone Jayden Addai (ACL) is unavailable owed to injury, truthful Fabregas has plentifulness of options to take from.

Udinese imaginable starting lineup:

Okoye; Bertola, Palma, Solet; Vojvoda, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Kamara; Zaniolo, Davis

Como imaginable starting lineup:

Butez; Couto, Chalobah, Ramon, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Diao, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas

We say: Udinese 1-1 Como

Udinese tin beryllium stubborn opponents and person an established signifier of play nether Runjaic, truthful they tin assertion a constituent against ambitious Como connected Serie A's opening matchday.

Now established arsenic 1 of Italy's apical teams, Fabregas and co volition look antithetic challenges this season, which whitethorn pb to immoderate frustration.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.