Three days after putting four past Cagliari in a 4-2 win at the Olimpico, AS Roma take their momentum on the road to Udine for a Matchday 10 fixture that carries real weight at the top of Serie A. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side sits third on 21 points, four behind Inter and Lazio who share the summit on 25. Udinese, meanwhile, are in a different kind of trouble: 17th on 5 points, one win in nine, and desperate for anything to stop the slide. The contrast in circumstances makes this fixture one of the more lopsided on paper, but Roma still need the points.
What’s at stake
Roma enter this match in the Champions League places, described in the standings as a ‘Champions League league stage’ side, but with Como just one point behind on 20, the third spot is far from locked in. A win at Bluenergy Stadium would extend that cushion and keep pressure on Inter and Lazio, who have been playing at a blistering pace. Gasperini’s team has not lost in nine Serie A matches this season, and sustaining that run on the road will be the real test of their title credentials.
For Udinese, the stakes are straightforward: Kostas Runjaic’s side has managed just one win from nine games, scoring 9 and conceding 18. Fiorentina, Parma, and Venezia are all in or around the relegation zone on similarly thin points tallies. A defeat here would leave Udinese sitting 12 points off the top nine qualifying places and begin to make their situation feel genuinely uncomfortable. Getting something from a Roma side in this kind of form would be one of the bigger results of their season.
How they got here
Roma’s last five reads: W (4-2 vs Cagliari), D (3-3 at Napoli), W (4-0 vs Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League), W (2-0 vs Genoa), L (3-4 vs Real Madrid in Europe). That Champions League schedule has been demanding, but the league form has held. Donyell Malen leads Serie A scoring charts with 7 goals this season, and Roma’s 23 goals in 9 games is a number that reflects how aggressively Gasperini’s system generates chances. Udinese’s recent league record tells the opposite story: one draw at Parma, then losses to AC Milan (0-2), Lecce (0-3), and Torino (1-2) in their last four Serie A fixtures. They have scored nine and conceded 18 in the league, and a goalless draw at Parma two days ago offered little comfort.
In the table, Roma are third on 21 points from 9 games (6 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses). Udinese are 17th on 5 points, level with Fiorentina and Parma but ahead of Venezia on 3. The gap between these two sides is 16 points after nine rounds, a chasm that reflects form but also the different ambitions each club brought into October.
Key battle to watch
Malen against Udinese’s backline is the obvious focal point. The Dutch forward has 7 Serie A goals in 9 games and has been the engine of Roma’s attack under Gasperini. Udinese have the second-worst defensive record in the bottom half at 18 conceded, and their shape under Runjaic has struggled to contain pace in behind. Whether Abankwah and Ebosse can organize a back line that has been repeatedly exposed will determine how comfortable or uncomfortable this evening becomes for the home side.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
Roma’s unbeaten league record and the quality of Malen in front of goal make them clear favorites at Bluenergy Stadium, and the head-to-head record over the last decade backs that up with seven wins from ten for the Giallorossi. Udinese showed nothing going forward against Parma and face a far sterner test here. Expect Roma to control possession and convert at least once on the break, though Gasperini may rotate given the Champions League schedule, which could keep the margin tighter than the standings suggest.
AS Roma
Udinese
Donyell Malen