Match Information
Match Overview
Udinese host Como at the Bluenergy Stadium - Stadio Friuli on August 22 in Matchday 1 of Serie A, the opening fixture of the new campaign for both sides. As an opening-round match, this fixture carries no historical form baggage in terms of league results, but it does present an intriguing contrast in league position expectations, with Udinese sitting 19th and Como 4th, positions likely inherited or projected from prior context rather than accumulated this season.
The most relevant storyline is the contrasting trajectories the two clubs bring into the season. Udinese's available form data is dominated by pre-season friendlies and a Coppa Italia win over Padova on August 15, where they edged out a 1-0 victory. Across their five most recent outings, Udinese won three, drew one, and lost one, with clean sheets in three of those matches, suggesting defensive solidity heading into the league opener even if the opposition varied widely in quality, from Barcelona and Nottingham Forest in friendlies to Trabzonspor and Mainz 05.
Como's build-up has been shaped heavily by the Como Cup and additional friendlies, with results showing two wins, no losses, and three draws in their last five outings, including a 1-1 draw away to Arsenal on August 12. Their group-stage matches in the Como Cup, against Villarreal and Al Ula, indicate a squad being tested across different tactical scenarios ahead of the league season, while avoiding defeat in any of their recent fixtures.
No injuries have been reported for either Udinese or Como ahead of this match, meaning Kosta Runjaic and Cesc Fabregas should both have close to full squads to select from for this opening-round fixture.
With Udinese aiming to start the season on the front foot at home and Como looking to carry unbeaten momentum from their pre-season schedule into competitive action, this Matchday 1 clash offers an early marker for both sides' league ambitions.
Predicted Lineups
Udinese
M. Okoye; T. Kristensen, S. Goglichidze, C. Kabasele, J. Abankwah; J. Karlström, S. Lovrić, J. Ekkelenkamp; G. Chakvetadze, A. Buksa, I. Gueye
Como
J. Butez; T. Chalobah, E. Goldaniga, M. Kempf, I. Smolčić; M. Caqueret, M. Baturina, L. da Cunha; Assane Diao, T. Douvikas, J. Addai
Team Form Analysis
Udinese
League Position: 19Udinese Form Analysis
Udinese's recent form shows a team building confidence heading into the new Serie A season. Across their last five outings, they recorded three wins, one draw, and one loss, including a Coppa Italia victory over Padova on August 15 by a 1-0 scoreline. In friendly action, they defeated both Barcelona and Nottingham Forest by identical 1-0 margins on August 8, demonstrating an ability to grind out narrow victories against varied opposition. Their only defeat in this run came against Trabzonspor on August 2, while a 3-3 draw with Mainz 05 on August 1 was their most goal-heavy fixture, hinting at some defensive vulnerability in more open contests. Overall, three clean sheets across five matches point to defensive organization as a foundation, even as the attacking output has generally been modest, with narrow 1-0 scorelines featuring prominently. With no injuries reported, Kosta Runjaic will have his full squad available as Udinese look to translate this pre-season and cup form into league points from the opening round.
Como
League Position: 4Como Form Analysis
Como head into the new season unbeaten in their last five matches, a run comprising two wins and three draws. Their fixtures have come largely through the Como Cup and friendly matches, including a 1-1 draw away to Arsenal on August 12 that showcased their ability to compete with high-profile opposition. In the Como Cup, they won 3-1 against Al Ula on July 29 at home, drew 1-1 with Villarreal on the same date, and claimed a 3rd-place victory over Famalicao by a 2-3 scoreline on July 31. A 2-2 draw with Paris FC on July 24 rounded out a schedule that saw Como consistently find the net, scoring in every one of these five fixtures. This attacking consistency, paired with an unbeaten record, suggests Cesc Fabregas's side arrive at Udinese with momentum and attacking confidence, even though none of these matches carry Serie A league significance. With no injuries reported, Como should be able to field their strongest available options for the trip to the Bluenergy Stadium.
Head-to-Head
Udinese
Como
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-06 | Udinese | 0 - 0 | Como |
| 2026-01-03 | Como | 1 - 0 | Udinese |
| 2025-01-20 | Como | 4 - 1 | Udinese |
| 2024-09-01 | Udinese | 1 - 0 | Como |
Memorable Matches
The head-to-head history between Udinese and Como includes several contrasting results. On 2026-04-06, the two sides played out a goalless 0-0 draw at Udinese, a tightly contested affair with no goals to separate them. Como had the upper hand in the reverse fixture on 2026-01-03, winning 1-0 on home soil. The most striking result in the recent history came on 2025-01-20, when Como defeated Udinese 4-1, the highest-scoring and most one-sided match in this set of encounters. Prior to that, Udinese held the edge with a 1-0 win on 2024-09-01. These results show a fairly even recent rivalry, with both sides capable of both dominant and defensively tight performances against one another.
Venue Factor
This match will be played at the Bluenergy Stadium - Stadio Friuli, Udinese's home venue, where the atmosphere and home support are typically significant factors in Serie A fixtures. As the opening round of the season, this will be the first competitive test of the year at this venue, with Udinese looking to make home advantage count from matchday one. Como, meanwhile, will be making their first away trip of the new league campaign, having spent their pre-season schedule largely on
