Crotone vs Udinese prediction, preview, team news and more | Serie A 2020-21
Crotone will continue their attempt to stay in Serie A when they host Udinese at the Stadio Ezio Scida in a round 31 clash on Saturday.
The Squali are bottom of the league, 12 points behind 17th-placed Torino with eight games left to play. Udinese are 12th in the table, but are only six points ahead of Torino, who have a game in hand.
Having raised hopes of a miraculous recovery with a 4-2 win over Torino in March, Crotone have come crashing back to earth with four consecutive losses.
They began April on the wrong end of a 3-4 scoreline away to Napoli before suffering a heart-breaking 3-2 injury-time loss away to Spezia last week.
Udinese ended their five-match unbeaten run with losses to Lazio and Atalanta.
Le Zebrette continued their losing run at home to Torino last week. Andrea Belotti scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot as Udinese fell to a 1-0 defeat.
Crotone vs Udinese Head-to-Head
Crotone and Udinese have met five times in the last decade, with both teams earning two wins each. Udinese were victorious on their last trip to Calabria, a 3-0 win at the Stadio Ezio Scida in the 2017-18 Serie A season.
The two teams last met in December earlier this season, sharing the spoils with a goalless draw at the Stadio Friuli.
Crotone form in Serie A : L-L-L-L-W
Udinese form in Serie A : L-L-L-D-W
Crotone vs Udinese Team News
Crotone
Serse Cosmi welcomes Pedro Pereira back into his squad after the midfielder served his suspension against Spezia. Salvatore Molina failed to impress in his absence and will yield his right wing-back position to Pereira.
Ahmad Benali picked up an injury against Spezia and is a doubt for this game. Lisandro Magallan or Niccolo Zanellato will be in line to replace him in midfield.
Injured: None
Doubtful: Ahmad Benali
Suspended: None
Udinese
Bram Nuytinck made Luca Gotti's bench against Torino, with the defender likely to retake his spot in the three-man defense, replacing Samir. Mato Jajalo, Ignacio, Pussetto and Gerard Deulofeu remain on the sidelines.
Tolgay Arslan could make way after a poor performance against Torino, with Stefano Okaka coming in to replace him. Roberto Pereyra would then drop back into midfield.
Injured: Mato Jajalo, Ignacio, Pussetto, Gerard Deulofeu
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Crotone vs Udinese Predicted XI
Crotone Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Alex Cordaz (GK); Koffi Djidji, Vladimir Golemic, Sebastian Luperto; Pedro Pereira, Niccolo Zanellato, Jacopo Petriccione, Arkadiusz Reca; Adam Ounas, Junior Messias; Simy
Udinese Predicted XI (3-5-2): Juan Musso (GK), Rodrigo Becao, Kevin Bonifazi, Bram Nuytinck; Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul, Walace, Roberto Pereyra, Jens Stryger Larsen; Stefano Okaka, Fernando Llorente
Crotone vs Udinese Prediction
Both teams only have one win in their last five games, so it's hard to predict who will reverse their fortunes. Simy is in excellent goal-scoring form for Crotone, while Udinese have the threat of Rodrigo De Paul to count on.
In contrast to the last time they met, we expect a high-scoring contest, but with a similar result as they play out a stalemate.
Prediction: Crotone 2-2 Udinese