Preview: Napoli vs Udinese - prediction, team news, lineups

After handing over the Scudetto to new owners, Napoli will conclude their 2025-26 campaign when Udinese visit Stadio Maradona on Sunday.

Having already sealed Champions League qualification, last year's Serie A champions can secure second place by avoiding defeat on the final matchday.

Match preview

Napoli need just one point to make sure of finishing runners-up to Inter Milan, although they trail 13 behind the new Italian champions with one game remaining.

While their title defence ran out of steam by mid-winter, it would be a sixth top-two finish since 2016, and they have had two Scudetti to celebrate during that decade.

This term, the Partenopei's only silverware was the Supercoppa Italiana - which they won by beating Bologna in December - as an endless list of injuries contributed to an uneven campaign.

Having limped out before the knockout rounds, Napoli's Champions League debacle was surely the low point of Antonio Conte's second - and potentially final - year at the helm.

If Conte is to sign off this summer, he will be keen to depart with another win at the Maradona, where his team went 26 league matches unbeaten before losing two of their last three outings.

After strolling to a 3-0 triumph in Pisa last time out, the omens are certainly good.

Not only have Napoli won 12 - and drawn two - home games against Udinese since 2011, but they have suffered just a single defeat across the last 19 league meetings overall.

Of course, Udinese fans will see things very differently, following their team's 1-0 victory in this season's reverse fixture.

After Jurgen Ekkelenkamp's strike finally ended the Fruilani's long drought, they could now do a league double over Napoli for just the second time to date.

Even a draw would see them surpass 50 points for the first time since 2013, when they finished as high as fifth in the Serie A standings.

This time around, the Bianconeri can still claim a top-10 position, providing they match Sassuolo's result on Sunday - three points could even be enough to overtake ninth-placed Lazio.

Either way, Udinese have clearly made progress under Kosta Runjaic, who inherited a squad that had only stayed up by the very skin of their teeth back in 2024.

Entirely unpredictable - last week they were beaten by lowly Cremonese - his side have won 14 games and lost 15 this season, so they will aim to impose some symmetry in Sunday's Serie A finale.

Napoli Serie A form:

D L W D L W

Udinese Serie A form:

W D W L D L

Team News

Only Romelu Lukaku is definitely ruled out of Napoli's final game, though David Neres remains a doubt because of an ankle problem.

Conte can welcome Matteo Politano back from a ban, bolstering his options still further; amid strong competition for places, even Kevin De Bruyne was benched last week.

Sure to start in midfield, Scott McTominay - who scored in the equivalent fixture last term - has now reached double figures for league goals in both of the past two seasons.

Having just confirmed a permament move from Manchester United, Rasmus Hojlund has posted a goal and two assists from his last two appearances; however, the Danish forward has previously played 204 minutes against Udinese without being involved in a single Serie A strike.

Meanwhile, Udinese's Arthur Atta has scored three goals in his last three away games - one more than throughout the previous 25.

Although the Friulani's top scorer, Keinan Davis, recently returned to action, Ekkelenkamp - the matchwinner in December's reverse fixture - must miss out due to injury.

Along with Hassane Kamara, who is suspended, he will join Alessandro Zanoli and Nicolo Zaniolo on the sidelines.

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Politano, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, Alisson; Hojlund

Udinese possible starting lineup:

Okoye; Kristensen, Kabasele, Solet; Ehizibue, Atta, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Zemura; Gueye, Davis

We say: Napoli 1-0 Udinese

Not only do Napoli have history on their side, but the hosts should have too much firepower for Udinese now all their key players are fully fit and available.

Under Runjaic, the Bianconeri can threaten any top team on their day, but another season of progress is set to end in defeat at Stadio Maradona.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.