Prediction: AS Roma vs Udinese

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 20/23

Bookmaker: Betfair

AS Roma will play host to Udinese on Sunday evening at the Stadio Olimpico, within round 30 of the 2022/23 Serie A roller coaster. The match is obviously important to both sides, but the points on offer would mean a lot more to one than the other.

AS Roma

Roma are currently battling fiercely on two fronts, having narrowly lost the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals away to Feyenoord on Thursday. With captain Lorenzo Pellegrini wasting a penalty, several players leaving the game injured, and the only goal of the game conceded in a strange fashion, it could realistically be said they were unlucky. Be that as it may, they certainly stand a good chance to overturn the deficit next week in Rome.

Meanwhile, Roma have broken into the top-four section of the Serie A table, and if their fine results continue, there’s a good chance we’ll be watching them play in the Champions League next season. If so, notable activities in the summer transfer market are to be expected as Jose Mourinho plans and prepares his squad for a tough campaign.

The Giallorossi are currently third with 53 points, 21 less than Napoli who have the Scudetto all but wrapped up, and eight less than second-place Lazio, who have already played their game of this round and beat Spezia on Friday. The fourth place currently belongs to AC Milan who have 52 points and are, like their city rivals Inter Milan in fifth on 51, too close for comfort. It means that an unsatisfying result here could see Roma drop two places down.

Roma’s last six results in all competitions include a surprising 3-4 defeat at home against Sassuolo, a goalless draw away to Real Sociedad in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16, a 1-0 defeat to Lazio in the Derby of Rome, a 3-0 victory at home over Sampdoria, a 0-1 triumph away to Torino, and the already mentioned 1-0 defeat to Feyenoord in Rotterdam.

Team News

As has been said, the Feyenoord game cost Roma in terms of more than just the negative result. Paulo Dybala, Pellegrini and Tammy Abraham all had to be replaced, and none of them is likely to feature here – an obviously strong blow to Mourinho’s attacking ranks. Meanwhile, right-back Rick Karsdorp and forward Ola Solbakken remain out of action.

With Rui Patricio in goal, Gianluca Mancini is set to line up alongside Chris Smalling and Diego Llorente in the back line again. The duo of Nemanja Matic and Bryan Cristante will be holding the middle of the park, with Nicola Zalewski and Leonardo Spinazzola out wide, and Georginio Wijnaldum playing slightly further ahead. Andrea Bellotti should be leading the attacking line, with Stephan El Shaarawy closest in support.

Udinese

As for Udinese, they’ve been going rather in the other direction compared to Roma – down the Serie A table, for a while now. Looking like they might be in the race for European places early in the season, they’ve dropped down to 10th place, currently with 39 points, nine less than Atalanta in sixth, and with Juventus (44), Bologna (43) and Fiorentina (41) in between. Just like Roma, a defeat here could see Andrea Sottil’s team lose further ground, with Torino on 38 and Sassuolo on 37 obviously close enough to move ahead. With Sassuolo playing host to Juventus in this round, it’s not very likely to happen for them, but Torino host Salernitana and for them, it could easily happen.

Udinese did manage to break the poor spell with a couple of important wins, beating Empoli away by 0-1 and triumphing over Champions League quarterfinalists AC Milan at home by 3-1, but that pair of matches was preceded by a 2-2 draw at home against Spezia and a goalless one away to Atalanta, and followed by a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Bologna and a 2-2 draw at home against Monza.

Team News

Udinese’s midfield section will be boosted by the return of captain Roberto Pereyra from suspension, but winger Gerard Deulofeu remains absent after his knee surgery. The former Barcelona, Everton and Watford attacker should be back before the end of the season, but he isn’t back yet.

With Marco Silvestri between the posts, Rodrigo Becao, Jaka Bijol and Nehuen Perez should form the back line of three. Sandi Lovric, Walace and Pereyra are expected to play in the middle of the park with Kingsley Ehizibue and Destiny Udogie out wide. Isaac Success should join Beto in attack.

Conclusion

Decimated ranks or not, Mourinho knows how to set his team up to win must-win games and his team shouldn’t find it too hard to book three points against Udinese, though with one or two goals and no more.

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 20/23

Bookmaker: Betfair