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

Eight games from history, Serie A upstarts Como will visit Udinese for Easter Monday's lunchtime kickoff.

With a place in next season's Champions League currently in their grasp, the Lariani are posing a real threat to Italy's elite, and they will seek a sixth straight league win this weekend.

Match preview

Como signed off for the international break by thumping Serie B-bound Pisa 5-0 at Stadio Sinigaglia, keeping them in fourth place with just eight rounds remaining.

Leading closest top-four challengers Juventus and Roma by three points, the ambitious Lariani are honing in on an historic qualification for Europe's top competition.

Cesc Fabregas has recently steered his side to five consecutive league wins - beating both Juve and Roma along the way - and it has been a stellar 2026 so far.

Remarkably, they would be joint-top of Serie A alongside Inter Milan for the second half of this season - just their second back in Italy's top flight - with both Lombardy clubs having claimed 24 points.

Cesc's men have also scored the most goals and conceded the fewest during that period, and they seem to have an unlimited supply of attacking potential.

Assane Diao's strike against Pisa made him Como's 16th different scorer this season, and they are also the only team in Serie A to have multiple players in double figures: Nico Paz has 10 goals and Tasos Douvikas has 11.

Still unbeaten away this calendar year, they now face three important road trips in their next four fixtures: before the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter, the Biancoblu must visit Sassuolo and Udinese.

Including a 1-0 defeat at the Sinigaglia in January, Udinese have lost the last two meetings - both away from home.

Yet, the Friulani have never lost a top-flight clash with Como in Udine, winning seven of 10 previous encounters.

Most date back several decades, so Kosta Runjaic's side will be aware that such history will count for very little on Monday.

After their slightly fortunate 2-0 win against Genoa last time out, Udinese occupy 11th place in the Serie A standings, and a rare top-half finish is still up for grabs with eight games remaining.

Following a close brush with relegation in 2024, Runjaic arrived without much fanfare, but he has re-established the Bianconeri as regulars in mid-table.

Having stayed well clear of danger for a second straight season - indeed, finishing as high as eighth is still realistic - they can now play with freedom.

Udinese Serie A form:

L L W D L W

Como Serie A form:

D W W W W W

Como form (all competitions):

W W D W W W

Team News

Como could be missing two of their young Spanish stars on Monday, as Jesus Rodriguez (knee) and Jacobo Ramon (calf) are both struggling to overcome injuries.

Dutch winger Jayden Addai is the visitors' only confirmed absentee, so Fabregas will have plenty of options to choose from.

While Paz and Douvikas are sure to start in Udine, the home side will be without their top scorer.

Keinan Davis must serve a suspension, stalling the English striker's momentum: he has scored five goals in 10 Serie A appearances since the start of this year, already the same tally as throughout 2025.

Potential replacement Adam Buksa (calf) is also unavailable, so either Vakoun Bayo or Idrissa Gueye could partner Nicolo Zaniolo up front.

In addition to Buksa, Jordan Zemura and Alessandro Zanoli are also on the treatment table, while Thomas Kristensen and first-choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye are minor doubts.

Udinese possible starting lineup:

Okoye; Kristensen, Kabasele, Solet; Ehizibue, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Atta, Kamara; Zaniolo, Bayo

Como possible starting lineup:

Butez; Smolcic, Ramon, Kempf, Moreno; Perrone, Da Cunha; Vojvoda, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas