Venezia Vs Udinese

Udinese, a standout team in Serie A this season, will look to secure their third victory in four matches when they head to Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo to face Venezia on Wednesday evening. Last weekend’s triumph allowed Udinese to maintain their position near the top, closely trailing league leaders Napoli. In contrast, Venezia remains near the bottom after a frustrating draw against Monza, which keeps them in a precarious position.

Match Preview

Venezia entered their recent clash against Monza with only one win in six matches, and five of those resulted in losses—confirming their status as early relegation candidates. As last season’s Serie B playoff victors, they had high hopes of securing a crucial three points when Mikael Egill Ellertsson struck an impressive goal after just 15 minutes. However, Monza managed to equalize twice, leaving the game tied at 2-2. Even after Monza’s reduction to 10 players, Venezia could not find a winner, keeping them 19th in the standings with only five points from nine matches.

Venezia’s struggles this season go beyond league performance; they exited the Coppa Italia in the first round in August. Head coach Eusebio Di Francesco, who took over after Paolo Vanoli departed for Torino in the summer, has only managed to lead the team to one league win thus far. Though that lone victory came at home, Venezia has managed just two goals in three games at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, leaving Di Francesco under considerable pressure to improve their form before the upcoming international break.

On the other side, Udinese has had no trouble finding the back of the net this season, showcased by their recent 2-0 win over Cagliari, where goals from Lorenzo Lucca and Keinan Davis clinched their spot in the Serie A top seven. With Cagliari reduced to 10 players early on, Udinese capitalized, continuing their impressive start to the season.

Currently level on points with Lazio, Atalanta, and Fiorentina, Udinese has accumulated 16 points, positioning them far above last season’s relegation battle. Although it’s still early in the season, the Bianconeri’s resurgence has been notable under head coach Kosta Runjaic, who took over after the club narrowly avoided relegation last spring. Now, they sit just six points behind Napoli after nine matches.

In addition to five league wins, Udinese has also progressed twice in the Coppa Italia, setting up a thrilling last-16 matchup against Inter Milan in December. However, they will face several challenging opponents, including Juventus, Atalanta, and Napoli, before they reach that stage, meaning the upcoming weeks will test Udinese’s momentum.