Udinese vs Lazio: a test of control, width and early-season momentum
Udinese enter this third-round meeting with four points from their opening two Serie A matches, while Lazio have taken maximum points from their first two league games. The contrast is subtle rather than dramatic: Udinese have already shown they can combine resilience with attacking threat, whereas Lazio arrive with the cleaner early record and the confidence that comes from winning both league fixtures. Udinese are also unbeaten in their last five Serie A meetings with Lazio, with the previous three ending level, including the 3-3 draw in Rome on 27 April 2026.
At the Bluenergy Stadium, the tactical question is whether Udinese can make their wing play count without allowing Lazio’s midfield to dictate the central spaces. Runjaic’s side have been using a 3-4-2-1 structure, giving Hassane Kamara and Mërgim Vojvoda responsibility for providing width while Unai Gómez and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp operate closer to Keinan Davis. Lazio’s 4-3-3 gives Gennaro Gattuso a different route, with Davide Frattesi expected to add forward movement from midfield and Mattia Zaccagni providing another attacking outlet from the left.
One particularly interesting duel is likely to develop down Lazio’s right side, where Romano Floriani Mussolini faces the experienced Kamara. Bruno Giordano highlighted that matchup before the game, pointing to Kamara’s attacking contribution after the Udinese wing-back had already scored twice and supplied an assist across the opening two league matches. That makes the wide defensive battle important for Lazio: Floriani must support the attack without giving Kamara the room to attack the space behind him.
For Udinese, the presence of Keinan Davis at the top of the attack offers a direct reference point, while Ekkelenkamp and Gómez can look for the second phase around him. Lazio, meanwhile, have introduced several important new faces during the summer and Gattuso has opted to start Frattesi, Andrea Pinamonti and Gustav Isaksen alongside Zaccagni in the official XI. The visitors therefore have a front line capable of stretching Udinese horizontally while Frattesi can attack the gaps created between midfield and defence.
The injury picture also affects the balance. Udinese are without several players, including Alessandro Zanoli, Matteo Palma, Nicolò Zaniolo and Giorgi Chakvetadze, while Juan David Arizala is also unavailable. Lazio’s absentees include Adam Marušić, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Danilo Cataldi, Nicolò Rovella, Luca Pellegrini and Patric, leaving Gattuso with fewer established options in midfield and defence. Current team-news reporting lists these players among the unavailable groups, while Lazio’s official matchday squad confirms they were not selected for the trip to Udine.
That makes the midfield battle particularly significant. Lazio cannot call upon Rovella, Cataldi or Dele-Bashiru, so Belahyane, Taylor and Frattesi carry much of the central responsibility in the starting formation. Udinese, by contrast, have retained Karlström and Piotrowski in the middle, giving Runjaic a pairing built around work rate and territorial discipline. The game could therefore turn on which side handles transitions better rather than simply which team has more possession.
The mood around the fixture before kick-off has been shaped by two different narratives. Udinese’s own preview stresses their unbeaten recent record against Lazio and the possibility of remaining unbeaten after three league matches for a third consecutive season under Runjaic. Lazio’s preparation has focused more on maintaining their perfect league start under Gattuso and managing a squad affected by several absences. The official appointment of Paride Tremolada as referee, with Maggioni on VAR and Rutella as AVAR, was also confirmed ahead of the match.
Neither side has a reason to approach the contest recklessly. Udinese can strengthen the impression that their positive opening is sustainable, while Lazio can establish themselves as one of the early teams setting the pace. The tactical battle should therefore be decided by small details: whether Udinese’s wide players can advance without exposing the back three, whether Lazio can exploit the spaces around Karlström and Piotrowski, and whether either attack can turn promising transitions into clear chances. The official kick-off is scheduled for 20:45 at the Bluenergy Stadium.
🚑 Udinese & Lazio — Current Injury Situation
Udinese
| Udinese Injury List |
|---|
| Long-Term / IR | Alessandro Zanoli | Cruciate ligament injury; expected return around mid-October 2026 |
| Long-Term / IR | Giorgi Chakvetadze | Broken foot; unavailable for the match |
| Out / Ruled Out | Matteo Palma | Muscle injury; expected return around mid-September 2026 |
| Out / Ruled Out | Nicolò Zaniolo | Muscle injury; expected return around late September 2026 |
| Out / Ruled Out | Juan David Arizala | Thigh injury; expected return around late September 2026 |
Lazio
| Lazio Injury List |
|---|
| Long-Term / IR | Alessio Furlanetto | Cruciate ligament injury; long-term absence |
| Out / Ruled Out | Adam Marušić | Thigh injury; expected return around mid-September 2026 |
| Out / Ruled Out | Fisayo Dele-Bashiru | Thigh injury; expected return around mid-September 2026 |
| Out / Ruled Out | Danilo Cataldi | Muscle injury; expected return around late September 2026 |
| Out / Ruled Out | Nicolò Rovella | Calf injury; expected return around early October 2026 |
| Out / Ruled Out | Luca Pellegrini | Thigh injury; expected return around mid-September 2026 |
| Out / Ruled Out | Patric | Thigh injury; expected return around mid-September 2026 |
The injury information above reflects the latest available pre-match team-news reporting and the official Lazio matchday squad. Udinese’s official site had specifically published medical updates concerning Palma and Zaniolo, while Lazio’s official squad announcement for Udinese excluded the injured players listed above.
📋 Matchday Elevens — The Official Selections
Udinese — 3-4-2-1
| Udinese Official Starting XI |
|---|
| Goalkeeper | Maduka Okoye | Goalkeeper |
| Defence | James Abankwah | Central defender |
| Defence | Oumar Solet | Central defender |
| Defence | Enzo Ebosse | Central defender |
| Midfield | Mërgim Vojvoda | Right side |
| Midfield | Jakub Piotrowski | Central midfield |
| Midfield | Jesper Karlström | Central midfield |
| Midfield | Hassane Kamara | Left side |
| Attack | Unai Gómez | Attacking midfielder |
| Attack | Jurgen Ekkelenkamp | Attacking midfielder |
| Attack | Keinan Davis | Centre-forward |
Lazio — 4-3-3
| Lazio Official Starting XI |
|---|
| Goalkeeper | Christos Mandas | Goalkeeper |
| Defence | Danilho Doekhi | Centre-back |
| Defence | Oliver Provstgaard | Centre-back |
| Defence | Romano Floriani Mussolini | Right side |
| Defence | Nuno Tavares | Left side |
| Midfield | Davide Frattesi | Central midfield |
| Midfield | Reda Belahyane | Central midfield |
| Midfield | Kenneth Taylor | Central midfield |
| Attack | Gustav Isaksen | Right wing |
| Attack | Andrea Pinamonti | Centre-forward |
| Attack | Mattia Zaccagni | Left wing |
⭐ Players Who Can Tilt the Match
| Key Personnel |
|---|
| Udinese | Hassane Kamara | His early-season attacking output makes his duel with Lazio’s right side particularly important. |
| Udinese | Keinan Davis | Provides the central reference point for Udinese’s 3-4-2-1. |
| Udinese | Jesper Karlström | Important for protecting the centre and supporting Udinese’s transitions. |
| Lazio | Davide Frattesi | His forward runs give Lazio another route into the final third from midfield. |
| Lazio | Mattia Zaccagni | The left-sided attacker can test Udinese’s defensive shape when moving inside. |
| Lazio | Andrea Pinamonti | His movement between Udinese’s centre-backs is central to Lazio’s attacking structure. |
📰 What the Pre-Match Conversation Is Focusing On
- Udinese’s unbeaten sequence: the club’s official preview places significant emphasis on five consecutive Serie A meetings without defeat against Lazio.
- Kamara versus Floriani: Bruno Giordano specifically identified the battle on Lazio’s right side as an important examination for Floriani against Udinese’s experienced wing-back.
- Lazio’s midfield absences: the absence of Rovella, Cataldi and Dele-Bashiru makes Frattesi, Belahyane and Taylor especially important to Gattuso’s plan.
- Udinese’s early attacking confidence: the hosts have taken four points from their first two league matches and also progressed in the Coppa Italia by beating Venezia 2-1.
