Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Serie A match.
In recent fixtures, both Fiorentina and Udinese have had their share of lacklustre performances, each playing two matches over the past week without convincing outcomes. Fiorentina are eager to maintain their position in the top four of the league standings heading into the New Year, which means their attack is likely to be relentless from the start.
Fiorentina
During December, Fiorentina have impressively scored 11 goals over five matches, highlighted by a dominant 7-0 victory over LASK in the Europa Conference League. Notably, the team finished their European campaign in third place, sharing points in the final group stage game against Vitória de Guimarães (1:1), who are among the top two. Fiorentina are among Serie A's top six both in terms of xG (25.40) and xGA (17.67), yet their focus tends to lean heavily towards attacking play.
Udinese
Udinese have shown vulnerabilities, especially against teams with aggressive pressing, as seen in their losses to Napoli (1:3) in the league and Inter Milan (0:2) in the Coppa Italia. Against Napoli, who previously led the Serie A standings, Udinese faltered after the break, allowing an xGA of 1.39 with eight shots conceded in the second half. It's worth noting that in their last seven away matches, Udinese have suffered five defeats, with four of those seeing them concede two or more goals.
Fiorentina vs Udinese Prediction
Fiorentina's individual total of over 1.5 goals has been achieved in their last three head-to-head encounters with Udinese. Fiorentina are expected to assert their quality in what appears to be a match well within their grasp.