Preview: Udinese vs. Venezia - prediction, team news, lineups

After claiming an impressive point on the opening day against Juventus, Udinese will be looking to secure all three when they host Serie A newbies Venezia.

The visitors, meanwhile, are aiming to become the first newly-promoted side to win an away match on a Friday in the Italian top flight.

Match preview

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Udinese head coach Luca Gotti will have been encouraged with his side's start to the new campaign, as they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home against Italian giants Juventus last weekend.

Strikes within the first 23 minutes from Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado put the visitors in control, however two second-half goals from former Watford pair Roberto Pereyra and Gerard Deulofeu helped rescue an unlikely point for the hosts.

Despite the sale of a few key players and having finished between 12th and 14th in each of the last five seasons, Udinese remain optimistic that they can push for a top-half placing this campaign.

Gotti is now preparing for another fixture at the Stadio Friuli, with his side searching for their first Serie A home win since March. The Bianconeri have won their last three matches against newly promoted sides, though they will not take their encounter with Venezia for granted, as they have failed to beat a newly promoted team on home soil in each of the last two seasons.

Nevertheless, Udinese will fancy their chances of securing all three points on Friday, which would end a run of six league games without a victory.

Since Udinese's last promotion to the Italian top flight in 1994-95, Venezia have gone bankrupt three times and were in Serie D as recently as the 2015-16 campaign. However, the Arancioneroverdi have returned to the big time for the first time in 19 years, following their promotion from the second tier last season.

Venezia were unable to cause an upset in their first Serie A match of the new campaign, as they were beaten 2-0 away at Napoli last weekend.

Despite playing the majority of the game with 10 men, following the dismissal of Victor Osimhen in the 22nd minute, the hosts were able to hold their own and eventually broke the deadlock with Lorenzo Insigne's 62nd-minute penalty kick – his second effort from 12 yards having blazed over five minutes earlier – before Eljif Elmas doubled their lead in the final 20 minutes.

Paolo Zanetti can take some positives from their opening game, though discipline is one aspect they must improve on, after giving away two penalties and receiving seven yellow cards in Naples.

With their next three league fixtures against teams who finished in the bottom half of Serie A last season, Zanetti and his side will be confident of opening their accent sooner rather than later.

Team News

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Udinese's only injury concern is with forward Ilija Nestorovski, who continues to recover from a long-term knee problem, so either Stefano Okaka or Ignacio Pussetto is expected to start up front.

Gotti is set to stick with a three-man defence, but could bring Deulofeu into his starting lineup, which would likely see central midfielder Jean-Victor Makengo drop to the bench.

Regular rotation in the wing-back positions could be implemented by the Bianconeri this term, and Gotti may decide to make changes on Friday, with Jens Stryger Larsen and Marvin Zeegelaar hoping to start ahead of Nahuel Molina and Destiny Udogie.

Venezia, meanwhile, became the first Serie A side since 2000 to give a debut to 12 different players in a single match last weekend. The majority of these players are set to feature once again on Friday, including midfielders Dor Peretz, Daan Heymans and Arnor Sigurdsson.

Another new recruit could be in line to make his debut, with Thomas Henry – who scored 21 goals for Belgian side Oud-Heverlee Leuven last season – in contention to start up front.

Zanetti will be without goalkeeper Luca Lezzerini due to a knee injury, while Mattia Aramu is to serve the final game of his three-match suspension which he picked up at the backend of last season.

However, Antonio Vacca, Pasquale Mazzocchi and captain Marco Modolo are all set to return from suspension, with the latter expected to start in central defence alongside either Pietro Ceccaroni or AC Milan loanee Mattia Caldara.

Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Becao, Nuytinck, Samir; Stryger Larsen, Walace, Arslan, Zeegleaar; Pereyra, Deulofeu; Okaka

Venezia possible starting lineup:
Maenpaa; Ebuhei, Modolo, Ceccaroni, Molinaro; Peretz, Sigurdsson, Heymans; Johnson, Henry, Di Mariano

We say: Udinese 2-2 Venezia

Udinese and Venezia were given tough opening fixtures last weekend but were able to hold their own. Friday's fixture, however, is one where both sides will feel they can claim all three points.

An end-to-end, free-flowing encounter could be on the cards at the Stadio Friuli and so we are predicting an entertaining score draw to be played out in Udine.