Historical Showdowns
As darkness envelops the Stadio Friuli this Saturday night, Napoli travels to face Udinese, buoyed by a revitalizing victory against Monza just days prior. The Azzurri enter this encounter with an impressive record, remaining unbeaten in their last 16 Serie A clashes against the Bianconeri—spanning 13 glorious victories and three hard-fought draws. The last time Udinese emerged victorious in league play against Napoli was an infamous date—April 3, 2016—when Bruno Fernandes dazzled with a brace, coupled with Cyril Thereau’s strike, sealing a 3-1 triumph; Gonzalo HiguaÃn provided scant consolation for the Neapolitans.
Of current Serie A competitors, only Como has witnessed Napoli’s dominance longer—an incredible 18-match unbeaten streak. Yet, the Friuli outfit has not been without their moments, managing to snag two draws in their last three encounters against Napoli.
In a remarkable display of consistency, Napoli has scored in 19 consecutive Serie A fixtures against Udinese—an astonishing feat eclipsed only by their record against Bologna, where they found the net across an incredible 20 games from 2012 to 2023.
Udinese: Aerial Threats and Tactical Nuances
Udinese, having sprinted out of the gate with a remarkable 10 points accrued from their opening four fixtures, have since endured a more turbulent passage, winning just three of their last 11 outings. Nevertheless, they command the fourth-highest Expected Goals (xG) tally in the current season, boasting 18 goals from an xG of 13.8—surpassed only by the likes of Atalanta (+9.4), Inter (+7.2), and Fiorentina (+7.0).
What sets the Friuli squad apart is their striking diversity in offensive contributions—18 goals netted by 11 distinct players, a feat matched only by Inter and Lazio, who each have 13 goal scorers this term. A particular area of expertise lies in their aerial ability; having netted seven headed goals, they sit second in this category, right behind Atalanta. Astonishingly, they are one of only three teams yet to concede any goals from headers—alongside Napoli and Atalanta.
Interestingly, recent history tells a tale of two headed goals: Giovanni Simeone and Victor Osimhen both made their marks with well-placed headers in successive encounters against Udinese. Yet, scrutiny reveals a potential chink in Udinese’s armor—their pressing game appears somewhat lackluster, with only ten shots taken post-ball recovery, yielding no goals, a figure that only Empoli can rival.
Despite this, Udinese frequently seeks to propel the ball forward with vigor, evidenced by their 26 direct attacks—a figure that stands as the fourth highest, trailing only behind renowned teams such as Milan, Parma, and Juventus.
Lucca’s Scoring Prowess: Wing-Backs in Action
Leading Udinese’s scoring chart this season is the prolific Lorenzo Lucca, whose five goals include an astounding four headers, making him joint top in Serie A in this regard alongside Mateo Retegui. Remarkably, Lucca’s trajectory hints at a burgeoning talent; last season, his fifth goal arrived in Week 16, followed swiftly by a noteworthy sixth two matches later, culminating in a total of eight league strikes.
Jurgen Ekkelenkamp also marked a comeback of sorts, providing a long-awaited assist for Jaka Bijol against Monza—his first in a staggering 30 league appearances devoid of goal involvement.
On the flanks, Udinese’s wing-backs Hassane Kamara and Jordan Zemura emerge as relentless threats, combining speed and precision. Kamara has executed 14 successful crosses from open play—a tally only surpassed by Dimarco, Dodo, and Martin. Zemura, on the other hand, has been a revelation, involved in three goals this season alone—one more than his total from the previous campaign—and stands out with an impressive 19 dribbles completed, a feat exceeded only by Dodo among defenders in the top flight.
Stats by Opta
