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Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 9/4
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Following another disappointment in Europe, Roma shift their focus back to Serie A on Sunday, seeking to break their extended winless streak away from home against Udinese.
Struggles on the road have contributed to the Giallorossi sitting just one point ahead of their hosts in the league standings.
Udinese
Udinese have lost seven of their last nine Serie A encounters with Roma, including the most recent four, but they now have an opportunity to leapfrog their visitors in the standings.
Currently sitting in 10th place, Udinese remain in the top half despite a humbling 4-1 defeat to Como on Monday, a match that saw both sides reduced to 10 men at Stadio Sinigaglia.
Kosta Runjaic’s team had entered that game on a four-match unbeaten run, which included a goalless draw against high-flying Atalanta, but the loss marked their first setback of 2025.
With just three points collected from their last four league games, Udinese’s mid-season resurgence appears to have stalled. While Runjaic has steered his squad clear of the relegation battle they faced last season, he will be eager to prevent this minor dip in form from spiraling into a more significant slump.
Team News
Udinese will be missing several key players due to injury, including Kingsley Ehizibue, Keinan Davis, Oier Zarraga, and first-choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, while Lautaro Giannetti remains a doubt with muscular fatigue.
Kosta Runjaic will also need to replace recent signing Oumar Solet, who is suspended following his red card on Monday. Either Isaak Toure or Christian Kabasele is expected to step into the back three, led by Jaka Bijol.
Despite an uncharacteristic performance in Como, where he received a yellow card and scored an own goal, the Slovenian centre-back remains a cornerstone of Udinese’s defense and is one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Roma
After a six-game unbeaten run that boosted their Serie A form and secured a Coppa Italia quarter-final spot, Roma suffered a setback in the Europa League on Thursday. A disappointing 1-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar, who leapfrogged them in the standings, leaves their knockout hopes hinging on the final matchday. Adding to their frustration, the group is still led by city rivals Lazio.
The loss drew sharp criticism from interim coach Claudio Ranieri and leaves Roma clinging to a playoff spot by just one point. Before hosting 2022 champions Eintracht Frankfurt in next week’s league-phase finale, Ranieri’s side must aim for back-to-back Serie A wins for only the second time this season.
A 3-1 victory over Genoa last weekend lifted Roma to ninth place, but their European ambitions through a top-seven finish depend heavily on addressing their poor away form. The Giallorossi are winless in 13 Serie A away games, their longest such streak this century, with their last road win coming in April’s 2-1 triumph over Udinese.
Despite these struggles, Roma can draw confidence from their strong record in Udine, where they have gone unbeaten in 10 of their last 12 visits, winning eight of those encounters.
Team News
With a fully fit squad at his disposal, Claudio Ranieri is expected to rotate his lineup following Thursday’s setback in Alkmaar and ahead of Roma’s crucial clash with Eintracht Frankfurt next week.
However, the regular front duo of Artem Dovbyk and Paulo Dybala may retain their spots. Dybala, in particular, boasts an extraordinary record against Udinese, having been directly involved in 21 goals across 21 Serie A appearances against them—the most ever recorded by a player against a single club.
Stephan El Shaarawy is another strong contender for a starting role after coming off the bench in recent matches. He has scored six career goals against Udinese in Serie A, though his last away league goal dates back to May 2023.
Conclusion
Despite Roma’s recent signs of improvement and Udinese’s dip in form, the Giallorossi remain vulnerable on the road.
Their prolonged wait for an away victory is likely to continue, as the hosts possess the resilience needed to frustrate their visitors from the capital.
Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 9/4
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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