Preview: Fiorentina Hosts Udinese in Serie A Clash

FLORENCE, Italy (Interstat) — A pair of Italian Serie A sides seeking consistency will meet Sunday when Fiorentina hosts Udinese at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

The match, scheduled for Dec. 21, 2025, pits a Fiorentina squad looking to rebound from a midweek European setback against an Udinese side coming off a signature victory.

Fiorentina (4-7-3) returns to domestic play after a 1-0 away loss to Switzerland’s FC Lausanne-Sport in a UEFA Conference League match on Thursday. Their league form has been uneven, with just one win in their last five Serie A outings (1-3-1). That stretch includes a 2-1 home loss to Verona on Dec. 14, though it was preceded by a 2-1 home win over Atalanta.

Udinese (5-8-2) arrives with momentum from a stunning 1-0 home victory over league powerhouse Napoli last Sunday. That result halted a two-game skid after losses to Genoa and Juventus. Udinese’s season has been defined by volatility, mixing impressive wins over Napoli and Atalanta with heavy defeats, including a 3-0 loss to Bologna in November.

The statistical service Interstat projects a 1-1 draw for Sunday’s contest.

Fiorentina will be without several key players due to injury, including midfielder Lucas Beltrán (hamstring) and defender Cristiano Biraghi (knee). Udinese reports a clean bill of health for its starting eleven.

Historically, matches between these clubs at the Franchi have been tight. Three of the last five meetings in Florence have ended in draws.

A win for Udinese would mark its first consecutive Serie A victories since October. Fiorentina seeks a positive result to stabilize its league campaign before a trip to Parma on Dec. 27.

Udinese visits Lazio in its next match on Dec. 27.

Key Matchup: Fiorentina’s attack, led by Andrea Belotti, has struggled for fluency lately, scoring more than once in just one of its last five league games. They face an Udinese defense that has shown it can be resolute, keeping clean sheets in two of its last three matches.

The referee for the 3 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) kickoff will be Marco Di Bello.