Napoli travels to Udine as title contenders, but the mood is far from as confident as the table suggests. The fifteenth round of Serie A brings Udinese and Napoli together on Sunday afternoon at the Bluenergy Stadium, a duel with significance at both ends of the table: Kosta Runjaić’s side are eleventh with 18 points, sandwiched between Lazio and Atalanta, while Antonio Conte’s team are second with 31 points, level with Milan and just ahead of Inter, and the bookmakers still see the visitors as clear favorites despite everything. Udinese are coming off a painful 2-1 home defeat to Genoa that halted their push towards Europe and confirmed a volatile run of three defeats in their last five league games. Napoli travel with momentum after their 2-1 win over Juventus, but they are scarred by their 2-0 collapse at Benfica, when Spinazzola spoke of a lack of energy, and by a poor recent away record; fatigue and an injury-plagued midfield will noticeably influence Conte’s personnel decisions against a tall, physical Udinese side. The last meeting in February ended 1-1 at the Maradona, part of a run in which Napoli have gone unbeaten in five against Udinese, with two wins and three draws and goals in every game. Runjaić now has to patch up his left side with Zemura, Kamara, and Atta missing, while Neres, Lang, and Højlund lead Napoli’s aggressive front three, which tends to favor a more cautious, counter-attacking Udinese.
- Venue: Bluenergy Stadium – Stadio Friuli, Udine
- Date and time: 12/14/2025, 3:00 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 15)
We support the scenario that Napoli will win the second half, in which Udinese often concede goals and Conte’s teams are known to finish strongly. Since Udinese’s attack seems blunt, Atta is missing, and the shaky left side is likely to be particularly challenged against Neres, while direct duels tend to remain below 2.5 goals, we favor Under 2.5 Goals and Both Teams to Score: No.
Udinese Calcio Form & Record Check
Udinese goes into this round in eleventh place with 18 points and a negative goal difference of seven, in the middle of an extremely tight table between Lazio and Atalanta. In Serie A, they have two wins and three losses from their last five games, and in all competitions, they have only one win and four losses, which clearly shows how fragile their current momentum is. The latest results fit the picture: the 2-1 home defeat to Genoa was particularly painful because Udinese created chances, had a goal disallowed, Piotrowski scored a spectacular equalizer, and the team then switched off in the closing stages. Before that, there was a clear 2-0 defeat to Juventus in the Coppa Italia, framed by a convincing 2-0 counterattack victory in Parma, which hinted at their potential, as well as clear league defeats, 0-3 against Bologna and 2-0 in Rome, both without scoring. Statistically, clear patterns emerge: Udinese have lost four of their last five games in all competitions, none of which ended in a draw, and each of which saw at least two goals scored. The first halves remain tight, with less than one and a half goals each, but after the break they concede goals in four of these games, supporting Runjaić’s assessment that concentration and intensity wane as the game progresses. In the table, they have missed a small window towards Europe, with the defeat to Genoa blocking their chance to catch up with the group ahead of them, but they are still only one point behind Lazio and two ahead of Atalanta. Injuries to Zemura, Kamara, and Atta have made it difficult to maintain balance on the left side and in midfield, which explains why stability and creativity have fluctuated and players such as Ehizibue and Ekkelenkamp have had to cover unfamiliar wide areas. Tactically, they still feel more comfortable sitting a little deeper and pushing forward with physically strong players like Zaniolo and Davis, rather than having to dominate the game; Runjaić emphasized that their best performances often came about in this way. Piotrowski’s run and finish against Genoa were a rare offensive highlight, while Okoye’s confirmed presence during the Africa Cup of Nations at least provides continuity in goal.
Interestingly, Udinese are expected to stick with their usual 3-5-2, with Okoye in goal and a back three of Bertola, Kristensen, and Solet in front of him. Zanoli and Ehizibue are expected to operate as wingbacks, Piotrowski, Karlström, and Ekkelenkamp form the midfield, and Zaniolo supports Davis in attack. This is a probable starting eleven and not yet an official formation. The injury problems on the left side are key, as Zemura and Kamara are both out and Atta is still missing in midfield. Ehizibue or even Ekkelenkamp could move to that side to stabilize it, with Rui Modesto or Kabasele as alternatives if Runjaić adjusts the formation. There are no suspensions, and Okoye should once again provide continuity in goal for a team that has recently admitted to its own inconsistencies.
Napoli Form & Record Check
Napoli travels to Udine in solid Serie A form. Three wins, one draw, and one defeat from their last five league games keep them level on 31 points with Milan and one point ahead of Inter, with a goal difference of 10. The narrow win in Rome and the 2-1 victory against Juventus, which briefly put them back at the top of the table, underlined their ability to control high-pressure games. However, the picture is mixed across all competitions: the clear 2-0 defeat in Lisbon, where Benfica were in control for long periods, exposed a tired and error-prone team. Previously, Napoli had beaten Qarabag at home and prevailed against Cagliari on penalties. For a team that was named Squadra dell’anno at the Gazzetta Awards, this European Cup season has so far fallen short of their own expectations. The Neapolitans are less convincing in the Champions League: they are in 23rd place in the league phase with 7 points, just one point above the relegation zone, which is why the last two games will be a real test. Statistically, their games are controlled, they have scored in four of their last five encounters, and each recent first half has remained under 1.5 goals, suggesting that the team often takes time to find its rhythm. Conte has given Napoli a clear identity, with a back three and wide forwards such as Lang and Neres supporting Højlund, but structural problems remain. Away from the Maradona, they have lost six of their last eight games in all competitions, including three away games in the Champions League. Fatigue and the absences of Lobotka, Gilmour, Anguissa, and De Bruyne are likely weighing heavily on the record.
Napoli are expected to travel with Conte’s now customary 3-4-3 formation, confirming the likely starting eleven already reported. Milinković-Savić should start in goal, behind a back three of Buongiorno, Rrahmani, and Beukema, with Di Lorenzo and Olivera operating as wing-backs. McTominay and Elmas are expected to play in central midfield, supporting a front three of Lang, Højlund, and Neres. Meret, Lobotka, Gilmour, Anguissa, and De Bruyne remain on the sidelines, and Lukaku is not expected to feature, keeping the core of this predicted team similar to recent lineups. McTominay and Elmas would take care of the midfield work, while Højlund, fresh off his brace against Juventus, would lead the line, with Lang and Neres providing pace and one-on-one qualities. Politano and Spinazzola are the main alternatives on the wings from the bench.
Udinese Calcio – Napoli Head-to-Head & Statistics
Napoli have the clear upper hand in the last five Serie A encounters, with two wins and three draws, leaving them unbeaten in this series, while Udinese are still waiting for a win. Udinese drew in 2023 and 2024 and took another point at the Maradona in February 2025, but the only clear wins in this period went to Napoli. All of these games produced at least two goals, meaning that more than 1.5 goals were scored in all five encounters. The overall record in the series is ten goals for Napoli and five for Udinese, an average of three per game. Three of the five games ended 1-1, which shows how often Udinese was able to equalize despite Napoli’s advantage. Udinese’s goal production in these direct duels has been remarkably consistent, scoring exactly once in each of the five games and never more. That leaves them little room for maneuver, as Napoli’s two victories came 4-1 in 2023 and 3-1 in December 2024. When Napoli wins this duel, it is usually by a clear margin on the scoreboard and not by a narrow margin. Another clear trend can be seen in the second half: Napoli scored after the break in four of the five games, and Udinese conceded just as often in the second half. Fitness and squad depth may be the reasons why the final stages tip in Napoli’s favor. Udinese have found it difficult to defend late leads in this particular fixture in recent seasons. Psychologically, Napoli travel to this fixture on the back of a five-game unbeaten run in this head-to-head and knowing they have scored in each of those encounters. Udinese, under Kosta Runjaić, know that the team regularly scores against Napoli, but never enough to win, so defensive stability could be more important than additional attacking creativity on Sunday.
