Torino vs Udinese

Torino vs Udinese Preview

Monday night in Turin, and neither of these sides will be heading into this one with much confidence. Torino and Udinese sit level on four points apiece after five Serie A games, which tells you everything about the kind of start both clubs have had. For Torino, it is a case of trying to get that first home win on the board under new gaffer Ignazio Abate, who has been handed the unenviable task of his first top-flight managerial role with a squad that is clearly still finding its feet. For Udinese, three defeats on the spin before the international break means Kosta Runjaic desperately needs his players to come back refreshed and ready, because the early-season momentum they had built has completely evaporated.

The Granata’s situation is particularly frustrating when you consider they ended last season on a six-game unbeaten run at Stadio Olimpico Grande. That kind of home form was a real foundation, something you could build on going into a new campaign. But Abate has taken nothing from his two home league outings so far, and the pressure that creates on a young coach is very real. A 2-1 away win at Fiorentina offered a glimpse of what this team can do, but the 2-0 defeat to Roma wiped that out pretty quickly, and they were fortunate to nick a point at Bologna right before the break when Sandro Kulenovic’s 77th-minute leveller bailed them out.

Udinese’s problems have a slightly different flavour. They came through their Coppa Italia ties, looked solid in their opening two league games, and then fell apart. Three defeats in a row, including a loss to Cagliari who have been one of the surprise packages of the early season, and now a three-week wait to put it right. The Friulani have a better squad than they did a couple of seasons ago, and Runjaic has done genuinely good work up in Udine, but form is a fragile thing and right now his side look like a team that has lost its thread.

Torino vs Udinese Form

Torino’s five-game record reads: defeat, defeat, win, defeat, draw. That is a single win from five, and the manner of some of those results is concerning. The defeat to Sassuolo was the kind of loss that makes supporters genuinely worried about a relegation battle, and the Coppa Italia exit to Monza was described as meek for a reason. Abate is clearly still trying to figure out his best setup, and you can see that uncertainty in the results. The win at Fiorentina showed real character on the road, but they have yet to produce that level of performance at home this season.

Udinese’s trajectory is arguably more worrying because of the contrast with their start. Winning through two Coppa Italia rounds and going unbeaten in their first two league games suggested Runjaic had his squad well-drilled and ready. Then the wheels came off. Three straight defeats, and a very telling stat emerging from those games: no side in Serie A has scored fewer second-half goals than Udinese this season, with just two across five league matches. They start games reasonably well but fade badly after the break, and that pattern has cost them points they really needed. Until they address that second-half drop-off, they are going to keep giving away leads they should be protecting.

In terms of momentum going into this one, neither side has much. But if you are looking for a marginal edge, Udinese at least know they can turn it on earlier in games, whereas Torino’s problems seem more structural. The home crowd at Stadio Olimpico Grande will give Toro a lift, but atmosphere alone does not fix a leaky defence or a lack of cutting edge in the final third. Both managers will have used the break to do plenty of work on the training pitch, but that only counts for so much when you have to actually go out and perform on a Monday night under the lights.

Torino vs Udinese Head to Head

History is one of the few things Torino can cling to here. They have lost just two of their last 10 home games against Udinese, and they have kept a clean sheet in five of those meetings at Stadio Olimpico Grande. That kind of defensive solidity in this specific fixture is worth noting, particularly when you consider how both sides have been shipping goals this season. However, recent history has not been entirely kind to Toro in this matchup overall. Udinese went six games without a win in the fixture before completing the league double over Torino last season, and that included a 2-1 victory in Turin back in January. So the Friulani have shown they can come to this ground and get the job done.

The broader context is that these are two clubs who tend to occupy similar territory in the table, scrapping around mid-table or occasionally flirting with the wrong end. That familiarity breeds a certain kind of match: competitive, a bit scrappy, not always free-flowing. Expect similar on Monday.

Torino vs Udinese Lineups

Abate has a couple of injury headaches to manage. Niccolo Fortini, the Italy Under-21 full-back, had to pull out of international duty with a thigh strain, though he has been training individually so is not completely ruled out. More encouraging for Toro is the return of Che Adams from injury, which gives Abate genuine options up front. Adams can compete with Sandro Kulenovic and Giovanni Simeone for the striking berth, though Simeone’s form is a real concern given he has not scored in seven Serie A games dating back to last season. Pietro Pellegri is back in full training after another long spell out, but asking him to play on Monday is probably too soon. The expected lineup sees Perri in goal, with Mandragora and Casadei in the engine room, and Vlasic operating just behind the striker.

For Udinese, Keinan Davis leads the attack ahead of Vakoun Bayo, with Idrissa Gueye out having just had ankle surgery. Nicolo Zaniolo and Jakub Piotrowski are also sidelined, which are significant absences. The one player who could make this a very difficult night for Torino is Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, who operates from an advanced midfield position and has been directly involved in six goals in his last five away Serie A games. He scored in this exact fixture last season, so Torino’s midfield will need to keep close tabs on him. Wing-back Juan Arizala is a doubt but could feature. Fresh from an Italy recall, Rolando Mandragora starts for the hosts against the club he spent three years at in a previous chapter of his career.

Torino vs Udinese Tactics

Abate has been trying to set Torino up in a way that gives them some defensive security without sacrificing too much going forward. The back three of Comert, Coco and Rodriguez gives them solidity in central areas, and the wing-backs in Belghali and Cacciamani are expected to provide width and forward runs. The problem is that Torino have struggled to create consistently at home, and with Simeone out of form and Adams only just back from injury, there is a real question about where the goals come from. Vlasic carrying the ball from a number ten position is crucial, and Mandragora’s ability to set the tempo in midfield is key. If Toro can get the ball forward quickly and commit Udinese’s back line early, they have a chance.

Runjaic’s Udinese will almost certainly look to be compact and hard to break down, absorbing pressure before hitting on the counter. That has been their general approach on the road, and with the pace Ekkelenkamp offers from deep and Davis holding the ball up in front of him, they have the tools to hurt Torino on the break. The second-half fade is the big concern. If Udinese can stay level or ahead going into the last twenty minutes, their track record suggests they will struggle to close it out. Torino will know that and will try to keep the game tight before pushing for a winner late on. Neither side is set up to play free-flowing attacking football right now, so this shapes up as a low-scoring, attritional affair.

Torino vs Udinese Prediction and Betting Tips

This is a genuinely tough one to call, and I will not pretend otherwise. Both sides are out of form, both have attacking injury issues, and neither has shown they can dominate in the way a well-functioning team would. But the weight of evidence here tips slightly towards Udinese. They have the stronger squad at this point in the season, they did the double over Torino last year including a win at Stadio Olimpico Grande, and Ekkelenkamp is the kind of player who can produce something on the road. Torino’s inability to win at home this season and the pressure on Abate feels like it could manifest in a tense, nervy display where they struggle to impose themselves.

Under 2.5 goals feels like the right market here. Low confidence, low form, two defensively-minded setups, and a fixture history at this ground that frequently ends tight. Udinese’s second-half fade is a worry but it actually points towards a game that stays locked rather than opening up. Give me Under 2.5 Goals.