Match Overview
Udinese Calcio will host AC Milan at the Dacia Arena on October 25, 2026, in a Serie A clash that sees two teams with vastly different trajectories meet. Udinese, under coach Kosta Runjaić, are currently struggling in 16th position with only four points from seven matches, reflecting a dismal run of five consecutive losses. Their recent form reads LLLLL, with a particularly heavy 0-3 home defeat to US Lecce in their last outing [1]. Adding to their woes, Udinese have conceded 16 goals while scoring just 9 in the league so far. In contrast, Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan sit comfortably in 4th place with 15 points, boasting an unbeaten record this season (WDWDD). Their last five results include a 3-2 victory over Atalanta BC and a 1-1 draw against US Sassuolo Calcio. Milan’s attacking rating stands at 1.1377, while their defensive rating is 0.9608, indicating a strong overall performance. The head-to-head record also favors Milan, who secured a 3-0 away win against Udinese in September 2025 and another 3-0 victory at home in April 2026.
Team News and Absences
Udinese’s squad has been significantly impacted by injuries and suspensions ahead of this crucial fixture. Midfielder Jakub Piotrowski is sidelined for approximately two months following heart surgery to correct a benign arrhythmia [2]. Striker Idrissa Gueye is also a long-term absentee, out for three months after undergoing surgery for an ankle fracture [3]. Defender James Abankwah sustained an injury in the recent match against Torino FC and will be unavailable [4]. Furthermore, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp was sent off in the last game and is expected to miss this match due to suspension [1]. On a positive note, David Alaba, who joined Udinese as a free agent, made his debut as a substitute recently and will be looking to feature more prominently [5]. Nicolò Zaniolo and Jesper Karlstrom are expected to be part of the starting XI. Oumar Solet has also returned to the squad, showing his importance [6].
AC Milan also have some player updates. Pervis Estupiñán was recently sold to Al Hilal for €25m [7], while Ardon Jasari joined the club for €35.7m [7]. Omari Hutchinson arrived on loan from Nottingham Forest with a potential obligation to buy [8]. Christian Pulisic has recovered from a lower-leg microfracture [9], and Strahinja Pavlović has played every minute of the 2026-27 season so far [10]. Koni De Winter has been called up to the Belgium squad [11], while Pierre Kalulu starts for France [12]. Fikayo Tomori was in the starting line-up for AC Milan’s recent match [13]. Luka Modrić was introduced at half-time in a recent game and provided more possession [14].
What it means
Udinese’s current standing of 16th place with only 4 points from 7 matches highlights their precarious position in the league. Their form of LLLLL is a significant concern, indicating a severe lack of defensive solidity and attacking threat. With 16 goals conceded, they have one of the weakest defenses in the league, making them vulnerable against a strong AC Milan side. The next fixture against AC Milan, a team sitting in 4th place and unbeaten, presents a formidable challenge. A loss could see Udinese slip further down the table, intensifying pressure on coach Kosta Runjaić. For AC Milan, their 4th place position and unbeaten run of WDWDD demonstrate their strong start to the season. With 14 goals scored and only 7 conceded, they are performing well at both ends of the pitch. An away win against Udinese would solidify their position in the top four and maintain pressure on the teams above them. The predict.game models, including baseline, opus, kimi-cool, gemini-flash, gpt-striker, and deep-thinker, all predict an AC Milan away win, with probabilities ranging from 45.3% to 70.0%. The most likely scorelines predicted are 0-1, 0-2, and 1-2 in favor of AC Milan.
Sources
- Football Italia: Serie A | Udinese 0-3 Lecce: Runjaic falls to five straight defeats football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: After McTominay, Udinese player Piotrowski also needs heart surgery football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Official: Udinese striker Gueye out for 3 months after surgery football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Serie A | Torino 2-1 Udinese: Kulenovic punishes Okoye error to snatch 3 points football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Runjaic explains Alaba bench call: ‘His last official game was three months ago’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Runjaic: ‘Another big mistake, like against Cagliari’ as Udinese slump to fourth straight defeat football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Milan squad value tops €300m as accounts confirm record Ramos fee football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Hutchinson urged to step up for Milan after Saelemaekers surgery football-italia.net ↩
- The Guardian: Christian Pulisic is no longer a focal point for the US or Milan – and that’s OK theguardian.com ↩
- Football Italia: Milan have agreement in place for long-term Pavlovic contract extension football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Belgium call six Serie A players for Nations League against Italy football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Diouf and Da Cunha granted France debuts in Nations League with Belgium football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: UEL | RB Salzburg 0-4 Milan: Magnificent Cisse hat-trick football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Amorim: ‘Milan cannot concede that goal, sad for Gabbia injury’ football-italia.net ↩
