Torino vs Udinese

Torino began 2026 in emphatic fashion, recording their joint-biggest victory since May 2023 by thrashing Verona 3-0 last weekend. That result marked a third win in five league outings [LWWLW] for Marco Baroni’s side, a remarkable turnaround for a team that harboured relegation concerns as recently as a month ago.

Instead, the Granata now find themselves firmly looking upwards, sitting 11th in the Serie A standings with 23 points [6W, 5D, 7L] and holding an 11-point cushion above the drop zone. Defensive solidity has underpinned Torino’s recent resurgence. Each of their three latest victories has been accompanied by a clean sheet, taking their total shutouts this season to eight — just two fewer than they managed across the whole of the 2024/25 campaign.

However, their home form remains a concern. The Turin-based side have conceded at least twice in four of their last five league games at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino [1W, 1D, 3L], highlighting an ongoing struggle to assert themselves on familiar territory.

History offers some encouragement for the hosts, as they are unbeaten in their last six league meetings with Udinese [4W, 2D, 0L]. The Friulani have also found trips to Turin particularly challenging, winning just two of their last 14 away head-to-heads [2W, 3D, 9L].

The Granata will have to navigate this fixture without Adam Masina, who is away with Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations, while a lengthy injury list includes Cyril Ngonge, Perr Schuurs, Niels Nkounkou, Zanos Savva, Marcus Pedersen and Ivan Ilić.

They may file out in a 3-4-1-2 formation with the pair of Che Adams and Giovanni Simeone starting upfront.

Udinese, by contrast, arrive with fading momentum. They have managed just one win in their last five league matches, and Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Como saw them slip into the bottom half of the table.

Kosta Runjaić’s side sit 12th on 22 points, the division’s most porous defence, having conceded 29 goals so far. Their defensive frailties are particularly evident away from home, where Le Zebrette have shipped 16 goals and lost five of their nine league fixtures this season.

The Friulani will again be without several injured players, including Adam Buksa, Jordan Zemura, Arthur Atta and Saba Goglichidze. Vakoun Bayo is on international duty.

A 3—5—2 formation is expected with Keinan Davis and Nicolò Zaniolo starting upfront.