Udinese are set to face Monza in Serie A for the seventh time this Saturday, having previously recorded two wins, three draws and one defeat. Their only loss came in the most recent meeting: 2-1 at Bluenergy Stadium in May 2025.
Udinese have never lost at Monza in the Italian top flight, and last triumphed there in December 2024 (2-1).
In general Lombardy has been a good hunting ground for Udinese in recent years: in their last five away games there, Kosta Runjaic’s men have lost just once – to Como last January.
Udinese's visit to the Stadio Brianteo is their first away trip of the season. In the last three years, they have never lost their first away match. Last season they emerged victorious from San Siro against Inter.
Should the game end in a draw, it would be only the fourth time in history that Udinese have started a Serie A campaign with back-to-back draws, after 1979–80, 1982–83 and 2001–02.
A victory meanwhile would make it 600 wins in the top flight for Udinese.
Hassane Kamara notched our first goal of the season against Como last weekend, having not found the back of the net since November 2024.
Jurgen Ekkelenkamp provided the assist and has now been involved in five goals in his last seven appearances; since mid-March, only Napoli's Kevin De Bruyne can boast as many in the same position. Another goal for the Dutch midfielder would take him into double digits for Udinese.
Down the other end of the field, Maduka Okoye made five saves on the opening day – second only to Wladimiro Falcone (Lecce) and Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta). His next clean sheet will be his 20th in Serie A.
Kosta Runjaic will be facing Ivan Juric for the third time since arriving in Italy, with the Croatian coach in charge of a a different team each time. In 2024 he was in the Roma dugout, in 2025 with Atalanta, and now with Monza.
Only one current Udinese player has scored against Monza before: Sandi Lovric, who was on target in the 2-2 draw in April 2023.