Preview: Udinese vs. Lecce – prediction, team news, lineups

Udinese, who have struggled in the early stages of the season, will host Lecce at the Dacia Arena. The pressure is mounting on Udinese manager Andrea Sottil, and they are in desperate need of points before a challenging November schedule.

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Currently sitting in 17th place, Udinese are just one point above the relegation zone. Their rivals have already gained a significant advantage over them in the league standings.

Last year, Udinese had a remarkable start to the season, competing with Napoli at the top of the table. However, this season has been a different story. While their losses came against strong opponents like Juventus, Napoli, and Fiorentina, it is their inability to win against weaker teams that has been disappointing.

A 0-0 draw against Empoli, a team that had lost six of their previous seven matches, illustrates Udinese’s underperformance. This uneventful draw was their third of the season, following equally frustrating draws against newly-promoted sides Frosinone and Cagliari.

Udinese ended last season on a poor note and their struggles have continued into the new campaign. In their previous 12 Serie A games, they managed only five draws and suffered seven defeats.

Their upcoming match against Lecce is crucial, as it precedes challenging fixtures against Atalanta, AC Milan, and Roma in November. Coach Sottil needs two wins to ease the mounting pressure.

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Lecce had a promising start to the season under coach Roberto D’Aversa, securing a place in the top four. However, they have struggled to maintain that form lately.

A draw against Sassuolo before the international break halted their losing streak after defeats against Juventus and Napoli. Although they remain undefeated in away games, with draws against Monza and Fiorentina, their away form is a concern.

Despite the recent slump, Lecce is positioned in the top half of the table, surpassing teams like Roma and Lazio. They are just one point behind Atalanta and two points behind Napoli. If they can regain their early-season form, they have the potential to put pressure on the underperforming teams in Serie A.

Lecce’s next two league fixtures against Torino, Roma, and Milan are their top targets.

Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Perez, Bijol, Kabasele; Ebosele, Samardzic, Lovric, Pereyra, Kamara; Thauvin, Lucca

Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Gendrey, Pongracic, Baschirotto, Gallo; Kaba, Ramadani, Rafia; Almqvist, Krstovic, Gabriel Strefezza

Our Prediction: Udinese 1-1 Lecce

Lecce managed to secure four points against Udinese last season, despite finishing 10 points below them in the final standings. Another draw between the teams is likely at the Dacia Arena.

Udinese has earned all five of their points through draws this season. While they may be stronger on paper, injuries could hinder their performance and keep them near the bottom of the table for now.

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