Udinese vs Lazio: Gattuso’s Perfect Start Faces Away Test in Serie A
Lazio will attempt to preserve their perfect Serie A start when they travel to Udinese on September 7, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 2:45 PM at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine.
Gennaro Gattuso’s team have opened the 2026/27 league campaign with successive 1-0 victories, first away to Bologna and then at home against Genoa. Davide Frattesi has scored the decisive goal in each match, making an immediate impact after his summer arrival.
Udinese have also made an encouraging start under Kosta Runjaic. A 1-1 draw against Como was followed by a 3-2 win at Monza, while a 2-1 Coppa Italia victory over Venezia on September 2 sent them into the next round of the cup.
Early standings and recent form
Lazio begin the third Serie A round in sixth place, with Udinese two positions behind in eighth. The visitors have yet to concede in league action, although their broader five-match record includes a 2-0 Coppa Italia defeat to Mantova. Across those five fixtures, Lazio have four wins, eight goals scored and seven conceded.
Udinese are unbeaten across their latest five matches in all competitions, winning three and drawing one. They have scored seven times and allowed three goals during that sequence, with the league return of four points from two games providing a solid platform ahead of Lazio’s visit.
The recent head-to-head record offers little separation. The clubs drew 3-3 in Rome on April 27, 2026, after sharing a 1-1 result in Udine in December 2025. Of their past five meetings, Udinese have one victory, Lazio have one, and three have finished level.
Injuries shape both selections
Runjaic cannot call on Giorgi Chakvetadze, Nicolo Zaniolo, Matteo Palma or Alessandro Zanoli. Lazio have a longer unavailable list after Nicolo Rovella was forced off during the win over Genoa. He joins Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Adam Marusic, Danilo Cataldi and Alessio Furlanetto among Gattuso’s absentees.
Albert Gudmundsson, signed from Fiorentina during the closing stages of the transfer window, is expected to be among Lazio’s substitutes while he adjusts to his new surroundings.
Projected teams
Udinese
Maduka Okoye is set to start in goal, behind Oumar Solet, Christian Kabasele and James Abankwah. The expected outfield group also includes Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, Unai Gomez, Mergim Vojvoda, Jakub Piotrowski, Jesper Karlstroem, Hassane Kamara and Keinan Davis.
Lazio
Christos Mandas is projected to play in goal. Lazio’s likely defensive unit consists of Oliver Provstgaard, Danilho Doekhi and Romano Floriani Mussolini, with Nuno Tavares, Frattesi, Reda Belahyane, Kenneth Taylor, Matteo Cancellieri, Andrea Pinamonti and Mattia Zaccagni expected to complete the side.
