AS Roma vs Udinese 14/04/19

14 April 2019

The Champions League promotion candidates and the Serie A relegation battlers go head-to-head as AS Roma tackle Udinese at the Stadio Olimpico.

The hosts are not enjoying a purple patch of form having secured just one triumph in their last four SA outings (W1, D1, L2), which is why they currently reside one point adrift of fourth-placed AC Milan. What’s more, the Giallorossi have failed to wrap up all three points in both of their previous SA home fixtures (D1, L1), allowing 2+ match goals in each. Roma’s defensive frailties have seen them concede at least one goal in 14 of 15 SA home games – the worst record in the Italian top tier, with just three teams shipping more goals at home than ‘La Lupa’ (25) so far. The one thing Claudio Ranieri can lean on is Roma’s performance in the final third that has seen them score over 1.5 goals per match in eight of their last ten SA home clashes. As a result of their impressive attacking output and rather disappointing defense, 13 of 15 Roma’s SA home games have featured over 2.5 goals (87%).

On the other hand, ‘I Friulani’ come into this meeting after racking up a three-game SA unbeaten run (W2, D1), but they are still frantically looking over their shoulders as they sit four points above 18th-placed Empoli. The relegation-threatened visitors are the third-worst away SA side (W1, D5, L8) having lost four of their last five SA road games (D1, L4). The main reason for Le Zebrette’s away struggling is their disastrous display in the final third that has seen them failed to find the back of the net in five straight SA road encounters prior to scoring at least one goal on three of their previous league road trips. Igor Tudor’s main worry ahead of this fixture is Udinese’s disastrous road away record against AS Roma, as the Udine-based outfit lost all five of their previous H2Hs with the Giallorossi at this venue, conceding 2+ match goals in each.