Parma vs Udinese Match Prediction

Parma vs Udinese. Serie A 2026/27, Matchday 9. October 28, 2026 | Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma | 19:30.

Two Struggling Sides Meet at Tardini as Parma Chase an End to Three Straight Defeats and Udinese Try to Stop an Even Deeper Slide.

Parma and Udinese enter this matchup level on points and with very little momentum behind them. Alberto Gilardino's side have lost three consecutive league games, conceding eight goals and scoring only once during that stretch. Udinese are in an even longer crisis, having suffered six straight defeats while their attack has produced almost no sustained threat over the previous three rounds.

The visitors can at least draw some confidence from this fixture historically. Udinese have won on each of their last two trips to the Tardini and have repeatedly found ways to exploit Parma's defensive mistakes. Still, Kosta Runjaic's team are dealing with serious problems of their own, especially at the back. This looks less like a meeting between a clear favorite and underdog and more like a direct battle between two teams desperate to stop their respective declines.

Parma

Parma have found themselves in trouble almost immediately after the start of the season. After eight rounds, the Crociati sit 19th with only four points and a 5-15 goal difference, having recorded one win, one draw and six defeats. Their five goals are the lowest total in Serie A, and the lack of finishing has become the defining problem. The only victory came on September 20 against Genoa, but Parma have since lost three straight league matches against Inter, Torino and Lazio. The 3-0 home defeat to Torino was particularly damaging, with Giovanni Simeone and Che Adams putting the visitors two goals ahead inside 24 minutes. Parma showed more resistance in the latest 2-1 loss to Lazio, where David Romero and El Bilal Toure both created promising situations before Simone Lontani scored late in stoppage time. The performance was better, but the result once again exposed the gap between creating moments and turning them into points.

Gilardino took charge during the season and has been trying to make Parma more compact, disciplined and direct. The preferred shape in recent games has been a 3-5-2, with three centre-backs, wing-backs dropping into a line of five when defending and two forwards providing immediate outlets after possession is recovered. Emanuele Valeri is important because of his ability to advance on the left and deliver into the box, while the central midfielders are expected to win second balls and move possession forward quickly. The structure is logical, but execution remains inconsistent. Parma still struggle to escape pressure, lose too many balls around midfield and can become disorganised when the defensive block has to shift quickly. Torino scored almost immediately after exploiting poor positioning, while Lazio found more space after the interval. The other major problem is finishing, as even well-created situations often end without enough precision in the final action.

Romero and Toure carry most of the responsibility in attack. Romero has scored twice and offers intelligent movement between defenders, while Toure adds physical power, speed and the ability to protect the ball under pressure. Matija Frigan and Lontani provide additional options, with Lontani earning more trust after scoring against Lazio. Adrian Bernabe, Mandela Keita and Vincent Sierro are central to the midfield, with Bernabe progressing possession, Keita protecting the defensive structure and Sierro capable of creating from deeper areas. Giovanni Fabbian and Cristian Ordonez offer further rotation. Enrico Delprato, Mariano Troilo and Diego Carlos remain important in defence, supported by Valeri and Sascha Britschgi, while Edoardo Corvi is the first-choice goalkeeper. Pontus Almqvist is recovering from a calf problem, Hans Nicolussi Caviglia has a groin issue and Nesta Elphege underwent surgery for acute appendicitis. Bernabe has returned from a minor physical problem and should again strengthen the midfield.

Recent results:

• Lazio 2-1 Parma

• Parma 0-3 Torino

• Inter 3-0 Parma

• Parma 2-1 Genoa

• Como 2-1 Parma

Udinese

Udinese are enduring one of their poorest runs in recent seasons. Runjaic's side have four points from eight matches and sit 17th with a 9-18 goal difference, recording one win, one draw and six defeats. Their only victory came against Monza in late August, and they have since lost six league games in succession. The slide included defeats to Inter, Cagliari and Torino before a particularly poor 3-0 home loss to Lecce. Udinese were already two goals down by the 33rd minute and never recovered. The latest 2-0 defeat against Milan was more controlled, but the attacking output remained extremely limited. Christian Pulisic scored early after a quickly taken free kick, Omari Hutchinson added a second after the break, and Udinese again struggled to produce clear chances despite enjoying spells of possession. Runjaic described the performance as an improvement over the Lecce game, but the underlying problems remain substantial.

Runjaic prefers an energetic 3-4-2-1 based on midfield duels, quick progression and active support from the wide players. Keinan Davis provides the physical reference point, while Jurgen Ekkelenkamp and Giorgi Chakvetadze are expected to find pockets between the lines and create opportunities behind him. Without the ball, the wing-backs drop deeper to form a line of five. The tactical idea is clear, but constant personnel changes have damaged cohesion. Injuries to experienced defenders have forced younger players into important roles, and positioning has often been inconsistent. Against Milan, one early mistake immediately changed the direction of the game. The attack is also struggling badly, with only one goal scored across the last three league rounds. Runjaic needs both better defensive concentration and more confidence from his forward players if Udinese are to stop the losing streak.

Davis remains the key striker because of his physical strength, ability to hold up possession and willingness to battle centre-backs, although recent fitness issues have limited his intensity. Nicolo Zaniolo returned against Milan from the bench and can add dribbling, shooting and more individual creativity as his workload increases. Jesper Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp and Jakub Piotrowski are central to the midfield setup, while Chakvetadze provides another creative option between the lines and Hassane Kamara works aggressively on the left. Christian Kabasele and James Abankwah carry significant defensive responsibility alongside young Matteo Palma, with Maduka Okoye in goal. Oumar Solet is unavailable because of a muscular injury, David Alaba continues his recovery from a calf problem, and Alessandro Zanoli remains doubtful. Vakoun Bayo is still treating a thigh injury, while Idrissa Gueye is out long term following ankle surgery. The gradual returns of Piotrowski and Zaniolo at least give Runjaic more attacking flexibility.

Recent results:

• Udinese 0-2 AC Milan

• Udinese 0-3 Lecce

• Torino 2-1 Udinese

• Pogon Szczecin 1-1 Udinese, friendly

• Udinese 0-1 Cagliari

Head-to-Head

Udinese have won three of the last five meetings, with Parma taking one victory and one match ending level. More importantly for this game, the visitors are unbeaten in their last three trips to the Tardini, winning 3-2 in September 2024 and 2-0 in November 2025.

The latest meeting did go Parma's way, with the Crociati winning 1-0 in Udine in April 2026. That result shows that historical trends alone are not enough to make Udinese trustworthy, especially during their current six-game losing run. Still, their recent record in Parma provides at least some psychological encouragement.

Parma's Weak Attack Gives Udinese a Chance to Reset

The clearest argument in favor of Udinese is Parma's lack of goals. Five scored in eight rounds is the worst attacking record in Serie A, and even when Gilardino's team create decent situations, the final execution often lets them down. Against Lazio, Parma had chances before the break but still needed stoppage time to score.

That matters because Udinese's biggest weakness is defensive instability. The visitors have conceded 18 times, but facing the league's least productive attack gives Runjaic a better opportunity to simplify the defensive plan and focus on protecting the space around Davis and Romero.

Udinese also have more potential variety going forward. Davis can occupy the centre-backs physically, Chakvetadze and Ekkelenkamp can work between the lines, and Zaniolo's return adds another player capable of producing something without a perfect team move.

Parma's own transition problems could help the visitors. Gilardino's midfield can lose possession in dangerous areas, and if Udinese recover the ball cleanly they should have opportunities to attack before the home defence is fully organised.

Udinese Need Stability More Than Style

Six consecutive defeats make it impossible to treat Udinese as a reliable away favorite. Their defensive confidence is low, the back line is missing important players and recent attacking numbers are poor. Runjaic cannot expect this match to solve every issue immediately.

Parma also showed a slightly better level against Lazio, particularly in the first half. Playing at home against another struggling side should encourage Gilardino's team to push higher and compete more aggressively than they did against stronger opposition.

The key difference is that Udinese have a few more attacking profiles capable of changing the game. Zaniolo's return, Piotrowski's improved fitness and Davis' physical presence give the visitors multiple ways to attack a Parma defence that has not looked secure under pressure.

That is why the zero handicap is preferable to an outright away win. Udinese do not need to end the six-game losing streak with a victory for the bet to survive. If the match finishes level, the stake is returned, while their stronger recent record at the Tardini and slightly greater attacking depth provide enough reason to lean toward the visitors.

Match Prediction

Parma and Udinese are both in poor form, so this is not a matchup where recent results produce a comfortable favorite. Parma have lost three straight and remain the lowest-scoring team in Serie A, while Udinese have suffered six consecutive defeats and conceded 18 goals. The visitors nevertheless appear to have the broader attacking toolkit through Davis, Ekkelenkamp, Chakvetadze and the returning Zaniolo, while Parma still struggle to convert even their better spells into goals.

The main risk is Udinese's fragile defence and the psychological effect of such a long losing sequence. Parma are at home and looked more competitive against Lazio, so an outright away win would be too aggressive. However, Udinese have enjoyed strong recent results at the Tardini, and the zero handicap provides protection if neither side can separate itself. With Parma's attack still producing very little, backing Udinese with draw protection looks the more attractive option.

Betting Pick: Udinese 0 Asian Handicap at 1.76.