Preview: Udinese vs Genoa – prediction, team news, lineups

December 8, 2025 ELEANOR WHITFORD (News) News

Udinese and Genoa Clash as Both Sides Eye Serie A Stability

UDINE, Italy – As the Italian Serie A season progresses, Monday’s match between Udinese and Genoa at the Dacia Arena represents a crucial juncture for both clubs, albeit for vastly different reasons. Udinese, comfortably positioned in mid-table, will aim to solidify their standing, while Genoa, under the guidance of former Roma manager Daniele De Rossi, are locked in a desperate battle to avoid relegation. The match promises a compelling narrative of contrasting fortunes and tactical approaches.

Zaniolo’s Form a Bright Spot for Udinese

Udinese enters the contest following a recent setback in the Coppa Italia, a 2-0 defeat to Juventus. However, their league form remains relatively stable, largely thanks to the inspired performances of forward Nicolo Zaniolo. The Italian international has become a pivotal figure for the Friulani, contributing seven points through goals in victories over Parma and Atalanta, as well as a draw against Cremonese. Zaniolo’s resurgence is particularly noteworthy, having overcome previous injury setbacks to become a key attacking threat.

“Nicolo is really finding his feet here,” commented Udinese coach Kosta Runjaic in a recent press conference. “His work rate is exceptional, and his finishing is clinical. We need him to continue this form if we want to achieve our goals this season.”

Despite Zaniolo’s individual brilliance, Udinese’s recent record against Genoa is a cause for concern. They have lost their last three meetings without scoring, a statistic that Runjaic will be keen to address. Historically, Genoa have proven to be a difficult opponent for Udinese at the Dacia Arena, having been defeated only once in their last five visits.

De Rossi’s Impact Ignites Genoa’s Revival

Genoa’s fortunes have dramatically improved since the appointment of Daniele De Rossi as manager. After a dismal start to the season that led to the dismissal of Patrick Vieira, the Grifone were languishing near the bottom of the table. However, De Rossi has instilled a newfound sense of belief and tactical discipline, leading the team to an unbeaten run of four league matches.

Last week’s 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Hellas Verona was a particularly significant result, secured by goals from Lorenzo Colombo and Morten Thorsby. This win propelled Genoa closer to safety and demonstrated their growing resilience. De Rossi’s tactical flexibility and ability to motivate his players have been instrumental in this turnaround.

However, Genoa’s cup run was abruptly halted by a heavy 4-0 defeat to Atalanta, a match marred by a red card for young winger Seydou Fini. This result highlighted their defensive vulnerabilities, a weakness that Udinese will undoubtedly attempt to exploit.

The Wider Context: Serie A and Global Football Trends

The struggles of both Udinese and Genoa reflect broader trends within Serie A, where the gap between the established elite and the mid-table clubs continues to widen. According to data from the Statista, the revenue of Serie A clubs has increased significantly in recent years, but the distribution of wealth remains uneven. This disparity creates challenges for clubs like Genoa, who rely on astute management and player development to compete effectively.

Globally, the increasing financial power of leagues like the English Premier League and La Liga is exacerbating these inequalities. A recent report by the Reuters revealed that global football revenue reached a record $64.6 billion in 2023, with the Premier League accounting for the largest share. This influx of capital is attracting top talent and further strengthening the dominance of a few key leagues.

Team Lineups and Key Absences

Udinese will be without midfielder Arthur Atta, who is sidelined for two weeks with a thigh injury. Wing-back Hassane Kamara is also unavailable due to a foot problem. However, Thomas Kristensen has returned to training and could feature on the bench.

Udinese possible starting lineup: Okoye; Bertola, Kabasele, Solet; Zanoli, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Zemura; Zaniolo, Davis

Genoa will be without injured winger Maxwel Cornet, but Brooke Norton-Cuffy is available after serving a suspension.

Genoa possible starting lineup: Leali; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vazquez; Norton-Cuffy, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Thorsby, Martin; Vitinha, Colombo

Prediction: A Tight Contest with Udinese Edge

Despite Genoa’s recent improvement, Udinese’s home advantage and the form of Nicolo Zaniolo give them a slight edge. While Genoa are capable of causing an upset, their defensive vulnerabilities could prove costly against a well-organized Udinese attack. A closely contested match is expected, with a narrow 2-1 victory for Udinese being a likely outcome.

For more detailed data analysis and potential outcomes, visit SportsMole’s match preview.

ARTICOL ORIGINAL:

Seeking their third Serie A home win from four, Udinese will host a revived Genoa side on Monday.

The Fruilani have just exited the Coppa Italia but sit safely in mid-table, while their Ligurian counterparts are facing a long battle for Serie A survival.

Match preview

Continuing his return to form, Udinese’s Nicolo Zaniolo was on target again last weekend, as the Bianconeri beat Parma 2-0 at Stadio Tardini.

Sealing the deal against 10 men, the Italy forward’s partner Keinan Davis then converted a penalty, wrapping up a win that kept the Friuli club safely inside Serie A’s top half.

Seven of their points had already come via goals scored by Zaniolo, having played a key role in previous victories over Parma and former club Atalanta BC, plus a 1-1 draw with Cremonese.

However, he failed to find the net on Tuesday, when Udinese travelled to Turin for a last-16 cup clash with Juventus.

Kosta Runjaic‘s side conceded midway through both halves as they slumped out of the Coppa Italia, so they will just have the league to focus on for the rest of this season.

Next up in Serie A are opponents that Udinese have struggled to defeat in recent years, having lost their last three meetings with Genoa without scoring, also losing five of the previous six.

Furthermore, Genoa have been beaten just once across their last five visits to Udine, and that defeat dates back to November 2020.

More recently, the Grifone have shown signs of recovering from an awful start to the current campaign, which cost former boss Patrick Vieira his job.

Since the Frenchman’s departure, Genoa are unbeaten in four league matches, having begun with six defeats from the first nine.

Last week, new coach Daniele De Rossi celebrated a vital 2-1 home win over fellow strugglers Hellas Verona, with goals from Lorenzo Colombo and Morten Thorsby securing maximum points.

So, the Ligurian club could now win successive Serie A matches for the first time since January 2024 by beating Udinese.

However, like Monday’s hosts, Genoa have just been dumped out of the cup, losing 4-0 to Atalanta after young winger Seydou Fini was sent off in the first half, and they have not kept a clean sheet in seven games.

Udinese Serie A form:

W L W L L W

Udinese form (all competitions):

L W L L W L

Genoa Serie A form:

L L W D D W

Genoa form (all competitions):

L W D D W L

Team News

After being forced off in the second half of Udinese’s Coppa Italia loss to Juventus, French midfielder Arthur Atta has been ruled out for the next fortnight with a thigh injury.

Wing-back Hassane Kamara is also unavailable due to a foot problem, but Thomas Kristensen recently returned to the squad after a long layoff and should be named on the bench.

Runjaic made several changes in the cup, but regulars such as Davis and captain Jesper Karlstrom should be back in the hosts’ starting XI on Monday.

While Zaniolo will spearhead their front line, having scored four Serie A goals since the start of October, he has yet to find the net against Genoa in any competition.

The visitors’ attack is usually led by Colombo, who has found some form since Vieira’s departure, scoring twice in three league games.

De Rossi also rotated his squad in the Coppa Italia, but the likes of goalkeeper Nicola Leali and goalscoring centre-back Leo Ostigard will return to the lineup in Udine.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy served a Serie A suspension last week but is now available, so only injured winger Maxwel Cornet is set to miss out.

Udinese possible starting lineup:

Okoye; Bertola, Kabasele, Solet; Zanoli, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Zemura; Zaniolo, Davis

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Leali; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vazquez; Norton-Cuffy, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Thorsby, Martin; Vitinha, Colombo

Featured betting offer: Bet £10 Get £40 with Tote UK

Tote are best known for their unique racing pool betting offer, but these days they also have fixed-odds betting on 25+ other sports. Looking at their odds on Monday’s football, they’re not the best, but they do run a decent number of promos for new and existing customers.

Talking of which, we’ve partnered with Tote to bring Sportsmole readers a boosted Bet £10 Get £40 welcome offer, which can be claimed by tapping below.

New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place). Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on a selected game within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply Gambleaware.org. Full T&Cs apply.

Get a boosted £40 with Tote UK

We say: Udinese 2-1 Genoa

Though Genoa are clearly improving under new management, they remain very vulnerable at the back; so, a well-drilled Udinese team should take advantage.

Both sides have conceded a league-high 12 goals after half time, meaning this contest could open up as the minutes tick on.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

cycling, epl, Football, Formula 1, golf, NFL, olympics, Premier League, rugby, sport, sports mole, teams, Tennis