- Monza have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five fixtures.
- Udinese have won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five matches.
- Monza have scored seven goals in their last five games, while Udinese have scored six.
A close encounter is expected in Italy
It's a tale of the two cities, as SSD Monza 1912, currently 20th in Serie A 2026-2027 with 0pts from 1 game, face off against Udinese Calcio, who sit 5th with 1pt from 1 after a decent start.
Both teams have had their ups and downs in the early part of the season and both need to get their respective campaigns back on track quickly. SSD Monza 1912 enter this game having played a fast-paced, man-oriented pressing game under new boss Ivan Juric. The Biancorossi have beaten Udinese once in the last 5 meetings, doing so back in Serie A 2024/2025 away from home, but they have failed to win either of their previous two home games against the Bianconeri.
Monza have been sharp in their previous two fixtures, battering Avellino 3-0 at home in the Coppa Italia 2026/2027 before falling to a 4-1 defeat away to Inter in Serie A 2026/2027. Udinese have been more solid in their two fixtures, beating Padova 1-0 at home in the same competition before earning a 1-1 draw at home to Como in Serie A 2026-2027.
Both sides have quality in the final third
Udinese have the edge on the day and in the table, but the odds are so tight that it's difficult to be too bullish about them here. They are chalked up at 7/5 favourites, with Monza not far behind at 2/1 and the draw at 21/10. We feel that Udinese might edge this contest and we're sticking with the safety of the X in this encounter.
Under 2.5 goals will also appeal at 31/50, but BTTS - Yes is at 9/10 and looks equally likely. Gustavo Varela is Monza's current scoring threat, having found the net three times, while Hassane Kamara has also got Udinese's only goal on the board in the league.
Keinan Davis has three Serie A 2026/2027 goals for the Friuli-based club, but should receive help this season from in-form, ex-Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, who has already shown he has the ability to find the killer pass (1 assist in 1 appearance) while Mathis Mout has also provided a creative spark to the side (1 assist in 1).
Monza need to bounce back from opening day loss
Udinese have been under the guidance of Kosta Runjaic since June 2024 and the team he has assembled seems to have a solid structure, compact shape and the ability to counter-punch if Monza overcommit. We feel that the intense pressing style of the hosts will see them force Udinese back into their half, creating turnovers and vertical attacks for the hosts.
With a win, a draw and a loss from their 3 most recent home games, Monza are yet to find a consistent rhythm on their own patch and we think Udinese can make them pay here. This is a chess match between an intense playing style and a more structured one. Monza's high-tempo 3-man defence and wing-back thrust, coupled with their desire to play on the front foot, should see the visitors have plenty of opportunities to counter.
Backing the visitors to squeeze out a win makes sense, but we can't ignore the value on the X and feel that a close, cagey encounter, possibly with under 2.5 goals, is the right read here.
