Palermo travel to the Stadio Friuli in Serie A on Sunday night.
With the Zebrette’s home having undergone extensive refurbishment during the course of last season there is extra incentive to impress, with coach Stefano Colantuono looking to make the visit to Udine a difficult proposition for opponents once again.
Udinese’s defensive masterclass at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday made it hard to gauge what attacking form the Zebrette take into the match, however, during their last outing at the Friuli found the net three times.
Although facing Serie B side Novara in the Coppa Italia, the Bianconeri made comfortable progress with a 3-1 win as Guilherme, Cyril Thereau and Edenilson all registered.
Despite struggling to break down Genoa at Stadio Renzo Barbera on Sunday, Palermo’s last-gasp winner by Abdelhamid El Kaoutari will give the Rosanero plenty of belief that they can stop a high-flying Bianconeri getting ahead of themselves.
On their return to Serie A last year the Rosanero could only hold the Bianconeri to a 1-1 draw in Sicily back in November, as a Paulo Dybala penalty cancelled out a fifth minute strike from Thereau, but did leave the Friuli with all three points.
During that most recent encounter in April Giuseppe Iachini’s men dominated their hosts, with a solitary Antonio Di Natale goal too late to have any impact after Achraf Lazaar, Luca Rigoni and Ivaylo Chochev had already shot the Sicilians into a three goal lead.
History, however, does predict a tight contest between the pair. In the last 10 seasons they have met 18 times with identical records home and away, both tasting victory six times and the points shared on the same number of occasions.
Riding the wave of enthusiasm victory in Turin brings, Colantuono has the luxury of a full squad from which to choose. Although Udinese are to set out with a more attacking outlook against the Rosanero, he is likely to name an unchanged side,
Just as you would expect during the opening weeks of the campaign, Palermo also have few problems with their playing staff, although long-term absentee Francesco Bolzoni is missing. Midfielder Robsin Quaison looks set to continue partnering Franco Vasquez in attack.
Form Guide Udinese (W-W) Palermo (W-W)
Expected Starting XIs
Udinese (3-5-2): Karnezis; Heurtaux, Danilo, Piris; Edenilson, Badu, Iturra, Fernandes, Adnan; Thereau, Di Natale
Palermo (3-5-2): Sorrentino; Vitiello, Gonzalez, El Kaoutari, Rispoli; Rigoni, Jajalo, Chochev, Lazaar; Vazquez, Quaison
