It is set to be the eighth encounter between Udinese and Salernitana in Serie A. Udinese have the edge in past meetings thanks to three wins compared to two. There have also been two draws, with the latest occurring in the first half of the season: a 1-1 stalemate in Salerno with goals from Lazar Samardzic and Boulaye Dia. The sides have been well matched in Friuli, as in the three encounters, there has been one win for each team and a draw. Surprisingly, in none of these matches did both teams find the net (2-0, 0-1 and 0-0).
In 2024, the visitors have lost seven out of eight matches played (drawing once) in the league, which is the worst run of form in the top five European leagues. Salernitana are both the team that have scored the fewest goals in the last 15 minutes of play (two) and the one that have conceded the most goals in the same timeframe (19). Nevertheless, Gabriele Cioffi’s side will need to be focused, especially towards the end of the first half, having conceded 14 goals from the 30th to the 45th minute.
Walace’s next match will be his 150th appearance in Serie A. The Brazilian is the player who has recovered the most balls in the last three seasons (since 2021/22) in the top five European leagues, with a total of 782. Walace leads the way ahead of Manchester City’s Rodri (751) and Arsenal’s Declan Rice (748). The midfielder has continued to perform at this level this season, as the player with the most ball recoveries (200), which is at least 22 more than anyone else, with an average of 7.7 per game.
Since the beginning of the calendar year, Maduka Okoye has ranked fourth among Serie A goalkeepers in terms of the number of saves made. The Nigerian international has made 24 stops, surpassed only by Marco Carnesecchi (34), Josep Martinez (28) and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (26). A player familiar with both clubs is Antonio Candreva, who made his top-flight debut for Udinese. He made three league appearances for the club in 2007/08 along with five run-outs (with one assist) in the Coppa Italia.