On Tuesday, Roma travel to the Stadio Friuli to face Udinese in both teams’ first match of 2015 and their first time facing each other this season.
Last time the two teams met was St. Patrick’s Day of last year, where Roma won 3-2 at home. However, that match was played by a strong Roma side, with Francesco Totti opening up the party by scoring in the 22nd minute. This time around there will be no party; Roma are without their captain who is sidelined due to a tendon problem in his left foot.
Udinese coach Andrea Stramaccioni is still trying to find a tactical form both he and his team can become accustom to. However, with injuries in the defense and gaps in the midfield, Strama has still not yet found what is both comfortable and beneficial for the Zebrette, who are currently Serie A purgatory. The Friulano side sit in the ninth spot in the table, with 22 points.
Roma, on the other hand, have had more time to gel with their coach Rudi Garcia, who arrived last season, and it shows. Currently sitting in the second spot with 36 points, they are only three points behind current title holders, Juventus.
However, the Giallorossi have lingering injuries. Joining Totti on the list of injured include Salih Ucan, Lukasz Skorupski, Federico Balzaretti, and Leandro Castan, all waiting for the go-ahead to re-join the team .
Udinese are not without injury, either. Luis Muriel is still out from a knock he picked up during a friendly against Red Star Belgrad where the Colombian striker suffered a lesion to his thigh; with him on the injury list are two defenders, Maurizio Domizzi and Ivan Piris. Also missing from the Zebrette squad: Thomas Heurtaux and Giampiero Pinzi, both suspended for the match.
Additionally, both teams will have players missing due to national duty during the African Cup of Nations; Udinese’s Emmanuel Agyemang- Badu will be representing Ghana, while Roma’s Gervinho and Seydou Keita will be representing the Ivory Coast and Mali, respectively, in the tournament.
Expected Starting XIs
Udinese: Karnezis; Wague, Danilo, Bubnjic, Pasquale; Widmer, Allan, Guilherme, Kone; Fernandes; Di Natale
Roma: De Sanctis; Maicon, Manolas, Yanga Mbiwa, Holebas; Pjanic, De Rossi, Nainggolan; Ljajic, Destro, Iturbe
