We’re all set for Udinese’s debut in the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa 2026/27.
On Saturday at 18:30 CEST the Friulians will face Padova, nearly sixteen years after their last encounter, which was also in the Coppa Italia. On that occasion, in the 2010/11 season, the Zebrette won 4–0 and advanced to the next round. However, in the encounter prior to this one, a penalty shootout victory at the Stadio Appiani back in the 1987/88 season wasn’t enough to see Udinese through the group stage. The only other time the clubs have met in the Coppa Italia was way back in 1959, a match which Padova won 3-2 at home.
In total, Udinese have faced Padova 67 times in their history, with a record of 22 wins, 18 draws and 27 defeats, though only five of those defeats has taken place in Udine. Saturday’s fixture is only the second clash between the two sides since the turn of the century.
Since the Coppa Italia adopted its current format, Udinese have always made it through this stage of the tournament, scoring a total of 15 goals and conceding three, across five matches in August. The most recent of these wins came on 18 August 2025, when the Zebrette beat Carrarese 2–0, a team then managed by Antonio Calabro, who’s now the head coach of Padova.
The Biancoscudati have been knocked out in the preliminary round in their last four appearances at this stage and have failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 consecutive away matches in the Coppa Italia. On the other hand, Udinese have scored in each of their last ten home cup matches. Should the hosts win they would go on to face the victors of the Venezia v Modena match in the next round, scheduled to take place in early September.
Five Udinese players have already scored in the Coppa Italia for the club: Nicolo Zaniolo, Lennon Miller, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, Keinan Davis and Sandi Lovric. Should the latter take the field, the Slovenian would reach the milestone of ten appearances in the Coppa Italia. Padova has a former Udinese player in their ranks, Kevin Lasagna. He made 118 appearances and scored 30 goals in Serie A for the club between 2017 and 2021.