Mid-table Udinese welcome Cremonese to the Stadio Friuli in Sunday's round 31 match in Serie A.

The Udine outfit have little to play for in the remainder of the season, but Cremonese continue to battle for survival in the league in the final weeks of 2022-23.

Match preview

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Udinese's season and position probably reflect in their results — two defeats and a draw — in the recent gameweeks.

Last week brought about a 3-0 loss at Roma's Stadio Olimpico, although it could have turned out differently had Roberto Pereyra converted his 69th-minute penalty.

It was 2-0 at the time, so halving the deficit against Jose Mourinho's rotated side may have made the final 20 minutes nervy for the capital club.

Andrea Sottil's men are in 12th place heading into gameweek 31 but could rise as high as ninth if they beat relegation-threatened Cremonese and results elsewhere go their way.

Little separates ninth-placed Fiorentina (42), Sassuolo (40) and Torino (39) from the Little Zebras, who have 39 points, so ending the round in the top half is a possibility.

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If Cremonese are out to survive immediate relegation from Serie A, they are going about it the right way.

Two wins in succession have given the Cremona outfit confidence heading into the season's denouement, with a dramatic comeback 3-2 win at Sampdoria a fortnight back followed by last weekend's 1-0 triumph over Empoli.

Cyriel Dessers has played a vital part in those victories, assisting the equaliser against Samp and scoring an early winner in gameweek 30.

The Violins had won just one game under Massimiliano Alvini — who was let go in January — and Davide Ballardini, who has secured all three of Cremonese's wins in 2022-23, before recent success, but have they left it a little too late?

The Lombardy outfit are second-bottom and are seven points from 17th-placed Spezia, while out-of-form Lecce are nine points above Ballardini's team, so a continued run of wins is imperative to escape the relegation scrap.

Team News

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Gerard Deulofeu is Udinese's only long-term absentee, and the Spaniard is not expected to return this season after knee surgery.

The home side could utilise an unchanged team from last week's loss in Rome.

Daniel Ciofani underwent nose surgery earlier this month, and the Cremonese striker is unlikely to return on Sunday.

Vlad Chiriches is not expected to feature due to the abductor muscle tear that has kept him out since March 6.

Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Becao, Bijol, Perez; Ehizibue, Samardzic, Walace, Lovric, Udogie; Pereyra, Success

Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Ferrari, Bianchetti, Lochoshvili; Sernicola, Meite, Castagnetti, Valeri; Buonaiuto; Dessers, Tsadjout

We say: Udinese 2-2 Cremonese

Despite going unbeaten in their last five games at the Friuli, Udinese have played out four score draws on their turf.

Against a Cremonese side that have scored in five of their last six away games — netting two goals in three of those fixtures — another high-scoring encounter could be in the offing.


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