In the early match of the 31st round, two teams that apparently no longer have realistic goals, having already secured their safety, will face each other: Genoa and Udinese. The Friulians reached the fateful 40-point mark a few weeks ago but are too far from the European zone to think about raising the bar of their ambitions.
The Rossoblù are five points behind the Bianconeri but are not in danger of being sucked into the relegation battle, given the huge gap between them and the third-bottom team (+12).
Coach Patrick Vieira – one of the surprises of this season, if we remember the enormous skepticism surrounding him when he took over from Alberto Gilardino in the fall – has the difficult task of finding new motivation for a Genoa side that in any case does not seem to have any intention of throwing in the towel. Last Saturday, despite losing 1-0, the Grifone made Juventus sweat at the Allianz Stadium, playing a game full of character and confirming their solidity at the back: in their last seven games, no team has scored more than one goal against the Ligurians. Last weekend, Udinese also lost away to a big team: Kosta Runjaic’s men failed to take any points from San Siro against a depleted Inter side, losing 2-1 to the Nerazzurri, who are flying high in the Scudetto race. For the Friulians, it was their second defeat in a row after the one against Verona before the international break, which was certainly more difficult to justify.
Genoa-Udinese: the latest news on the line-ups
Vieira has to contend with numerous absences: Cornet, Messias, and Cuenca will all miss the Udinese game, while Bani and Vitinha are major doubts. On the right side of defense, Sabelli and Norton-Cuffy are vying for a spot, while in midfield, Masini and Badelj are battling it out. In the attacking midfield, Malinovskyi will support lone striker Pinamonti.
Udinese also has a crowded infirmary: Zemura is injured and will not travel to Genoa. Sanchez, Sava, and Touré are also out. However, Runjaic’s biggest concern is Thauvin: the Frenchman is still not at his best and is likely to miss this match as well. Davis is unlikely to start, as he is not yet fit enough to play 90 minutes, so Iker Bravo is now looking more likely to feature.
Odds comparison
The “Under 2.5” bet is priced at 1.50 on Goldbet, Lottomatica and Snai. A draw is priced at 3.00 on Goldbet, Lottomatica, and Snai.
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The prediction
Genoa has not lost to Udinese since 2020, and the Friulians’ last victory at Marassi dates back to 2019. The Grifone’s unbeaten run could continue, considering that the Ferraris has become a real fortress: four wins and a draw in the last five home games for Vieira’s men, who have conceded only two goals in this streak. Therefore, the “Under 2.5” option, which has occurred six times in the last seven previous matches, is also worth considering.
Probable line-ups for Genoa-Udinese
GENOA (4-2-3-1): Leali; Sabelli, De Winter, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Masini; Zanoli, Malinovskyi, Miretti; Pinamonti.
UDINESE (3-5-2): Okoye; Kristensen, Bijol, Solet; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlström, Ekkelenkamp, Kamara; Bravo, Lucca.