With defensive stalwart Kristensen sidelined for at least a month with a thigh injury, Udinese go into Monday evening’s game against Cremonese at the Stadio Giovanni Zini in a weakened state. Both teams are close together in the middle of the table, with Cremonese in 10th place with nine points and Udinese two places behind with eight points. Despite the personnel shortage, the betting market sees the visitors as slight favorites, although Cremonese recently boosted their confidence with a 3-2 win, ending a series of three goalless draws. The recent head-to-head record clearly favors Udinese: Cremonese has been winless in its last three competitive games since October 2022, suffering two heavy defeats, with the second halves of all previous encounters remaining goalless. Cremonese, for its part, will have to do without Terracciano, Collocolo, and Moumbagna, which will reduce its offensive firepower. With the table so tight and both sides having personnel problems, everything points to a close game.
- Venue: Stadio Giovanni Zini, Cremona
- Date and time: October 20, 2025, 8:45 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 7)
Both teams to score is the main tip, as both Cremonese and Udinese show offensive tendencies while also having defensive weaknesses. Cremonese have conceded goals in seven consecutive competitive games and looked particularly vulnerable in their recent 4-1 defeat to Inter. Udinese has scored in 80% of its last five games, but has also conceded in 80% of those games, with the defense further weakened by the aforementioned injuries. The Friulians are slight favorites at around 2.40, but given Cremonese’s recent form with three draws in five games, the double chance X2 is recommended as a hedge. The draw is listed at around 3.10, which seems quite attractive given Cremonese’s tendency to draw. With injured defenders on both sides, “Over 2.5 goals” is a riskier but entirely plausible option, especially since four of Udinese’s last five games have produced over 1.5 goals. A combination of “both teams to score” plus X2 offers increased security.
Cremonese form & record check
Cremonese are in 10th place after six matchdays with nine points, level on points with Como and just one point ahead of Cagliari. However, their negative goal difference signals a lack of punch in attack despite their defensive compactness. Their 3-2 opening win against Sassuolo was followed by three goalless draws against Verona, Parma, and Como, which shows that Nicola has set his team up to be tactically disciplined, but at the same time they lack the offensive creativity to decide games. The 4-1 defeat at Inter was a heavy one, but to be expected against a top opponent, especially as an early goal in the 6th minute and a 3-0 half-time score decided the game. Terracciano and Moumbagna are missing due to muscle problems, while Collocolo is out for a longer period with a thigh injury. Moumbanga’s absence is particularly painful in attack, even though Sanabria, De Luca, and Vardy are available as alternatives. Nicola should work on more variable attacking solutions and rely on situational transition plays to better showcase the available strikers.
Coach Davide Nicola is expected to opt for a 5-3-2 formation. Silvestri will be in goal, with Floriani Mussolini, Ceccherini, Baschirotto, Bianchetti, and Pezzella forming the back five. Grassi, Bondo, and Vázquez will provide stability and creativity in midfield, with Sanabria and Johnsen leading the line. Terracciano is still out with muscle problems, Moumbagna is also unavailable, and Collocolo is struggling with a thigh injury and is not expected back until the end of December at the earliest. Among others, experienced forwards Vardy and De Luca are available as substitutes should Nicola need to make adjustments during the game.
Udinese Calcio Form & Record Check
Udinese are in 12th place with eight points, level on points with Cagliari in 11th. Their recent form has been inconsistent: After weak performances against Sassuolo (1-3) and Milan (0-3), they have recently recorded two wins, with a tired 1-1 draw against Cagliari in between. Four of their last five games have seen more than 1.5 goals scored, with Udinese scoring in as many games but also conceding in four of five, highlighting their defensive instability. The season goal difference is currently negative at minus three. Defensive leader Kristensen is out for at least a month with a thigh injury, so Kabasele is likely to return to the starting lineup, while Goglichidze and Bertola remain backup options for the time being. Goalkeeper Okoye returns to goal after his suspension. Coach Kosta Runjaić plans to use Zaniolo behind Bayo in attack, with Zaniolo first needing to impress at Udinese before a possible return to the national team can be considered. The Friulians need defensive stability and consistent performances above all else in order to establish themselves permanently in mid-table.
Coach Kosta Runjaić is likely to make some slight changes to the defense in the expected 3-5-2 formation: Kristensen is expected to be out for about a month with a hamstring injury, so Kabasele will move into the back three alongside Solet and Goglichidze, with Bertola as backup. Okoye returns in goal after serving his suspension. Zanoli and Kamara are set to start on the wings, while Karlström, Atta, and Piotrowski could make up the central midfield. Zaniolo is expected to play as a deep-lying striker and Davis as a center forward, after Runjaić recently signaled his confidence in the returning loan player. Alternatively, Lovrić or Ekkelenkamp could also be options.
Cremonese – Udinese Calcio Head-to-head comparison & statistics
Udinese has clearly dominated the last three encounters: two wins and a goalless draw in 2022. Cremonese did not emerge victorious in any of these games. Udinese’s superiority in the first half is striking, with all goals in these three games coming before the break and the second half remaining goalless. The most convincing victory was the 3-0 win at home in April 2023, when Udinese went into the break 2-0 up and gave Cremonese no real chance of a comeback. A similar pattern was seen in the friendly at the end of 2022, which ended 3-1, with Udinese setting the course for victory early on.
