Overview
Udinese continued to start the season impressively under the guidance of coach Kosta Runjaic. Friulani drew with Como in the opening match of Serie A, before defeating Monza 3-2 in a goal-scoring match.
Udinese also qualified for the round of 16 of the Coppa Italy against Atalanta after successively overcoming Padova and Venezia. In the match in the middle of last week, Vakoun Bayo scored a double to help this team maintain an unbeaten record.
Runjaic, who brought Udinese to finish 10th last season, now has to focus back on Serie A. His goal is to win 7 points after the first 3 rounds for the third consecutive year.
Head-to-head history also brings positive signals for Udinese when they have only lost 2 out of 10 recent encounters with Lazio in Serie A. The two teams once created dramatic chases last season with equalizing goals appearing at the end of the match.
On Lazio's side, Davide Frattesi is quickly becoming an important factor after moving from Inter Milan. The Italian midfielder scored decisive goals in both of the first 2 matches, respectively against Bologna and Genoa, helping the capital team start favorably.
Lazio has only won 3 points twice in all 3 opening matches of Serie A, in 1974 and 2012. Coach Gennaro Gattuso certainly wants to repeat this achievement, especially after he played an important role in bringing Frattesi to the Olimpico.
Lazio has a very good head-to-head record at Udinese's stadium when they have only suffered 1 defeat in their last 13 away matches in Serie A, along with 8 wins.
Personnel situation
Udinese continues to be short of Nicolo Zaniolo and Matteo Palma, alongside Giorgi Chakvetadze and Alessandro Zanoli, who are still in the process of long-term injury treatment.
Good news for the home team is that Christian Kabasele has returned after suspension. In attack, Udinese still has many options despite Zaniolo's absence. Idrissa Gueye started against Como, while Keinan Davis started in 2 matches against Padova and Monza. Vakoun Bayo also just scored a double in the Coppa Italia.
Hassane Kamara of the home team is in good form with 2 goals after 2 Serie A matches.
Meanwhile, Davide Frattesi is the only player to score for Lazio since the beginning of the season. The Italian midfielder is particularly lucky with Udinese when he has pierced the opponent's net 5 times in Serie A and is likely to continue to start in midfield.
After Boulaye Dia moved to Rennes, Andrea Pinamonti and Tijjani Noslin will compete for positions in attack. Lazio also just added Albert Gudmundsson, thereby giving them another attacking option.
However, the away team will not have the services of Patric, Adam Marusic, Nicolo Rovella, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Danilo Cataldi due to injury.
Expected lineup:
Okoye, Abankwah, Kabasele, Solet, Vojvoda, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Kamara, Ekkelenkamp, Gomez, Davis.
Lazio: Mandas, Lazzari, Doekhi, Provstgaard, Tavares, Frattesi, Belahyane, Taylor, Cancellieri, Pinamonti, Zaccagni.
The match between Udinese and Lazio takes place at 1:45 am on September 8 (Vietnam time).
