Udinese, Torino Seek Rare Serie A Wins in Draw Specialists Clash

The Dacia Arena in Udine will host a Serie A clash between two of the league’s most frequent draw merchants on Saturday, as Udinese welcome Torino. While the home side shocked Lazio in their previous outing, the visitors are faltering in their bid for European qualification.

Udinese have won just four of their 28 league matches this season, but each of those victories has come against formidable opposition. Gabriele Cioffi’s men have triumphed over Juventus, AC Milan, Bologna and Lazio – the latter in a 2-1 success last Monday that prompted Maurizio Sarri’s sacking as Biancocelesti boss.

The Friulians are the draw kings of Europe’s top five leagues with 15 stalemates, while only Bologna (11) have shared the spoils more often than Torino (11) in Serie A this term. Ivan Juric’s side added to that tally in their last two games, being held by Fiorentina and reigning champions Napoli.

Such results have seen the Granata lose ground in the race for Europe, culminating in Juric serving a touchline ban this weekend. With suspensions also affecting Udinese’s defence, a low-scoring draw could well be on the cards as two shot-shy sides seek a rare maximum points haul.

Udinese were indebted to goals from Lorenzo Lucca and Oier Zarraga for their morale-boosting win in Rome, but goals have been at a premium throughout the campaign. The Bianconeri have scored just 29 times in 28 matches, with Lucca’s seven-goal haul making him the side’s leading marksman.

Torino are even more profligate in attack, mustering a meagre 26 goals. The main threat will likely come from Duvan Zapata, whose six previous goals versus Udinese include his first hat-trick in Italian football. Antonio Sanabria, last week’s solitary scorer versus Napoli, is expected to partner the Colombian frontman at Dacia Arena.

In the Granata’s engine room, teenage Italian starlet Samuele Ricci returns from suspension to boost Juric’s midfield options in a potential headache area. Fellow central pair Adrien Tameze and Perr Schuurs are sidelined by hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while defensive worries also persist.

Koffi Djidji is ruled out, and Kurt Zouma – signed from West Ham in January – may be pitched into a makeshift back three alongside Alessandro Buongiorno and Ricardo Rodriguez, with Matteo Lovato struggling for fitness. Full-backs Sazonov and Lazaro should complete the rearguard.

For the hosts, Gerard Deulofeu remains a long-term absentee, while Nehuen Perez is suspended after being sent off against Lazio. Cioffi could hand first starts in 2023 to Walace and Festy Ebosele, with Beto and Jean-Victor Makengo also options should he opt to freshen up his midfield trio.

Up front, former Marseille winger Florian Thauvin should support lone striker Lucca in Udinese’s quest to secure back-to-back top-flight wins for the first time in over a year. With both teams notoriously inconsistent in finding the net, a share of the spoils would be a familiar outcome at Dacia Arena.