Genoa vs. Udinese: Preview, prediction, tips as safe-hands Maduka Okoye heads to Ferraris

Genoa welcome Udinese to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Friday, in a fixture from matchday 30 of the Serie A 2025/26 season, Afrik-Foot reports.

It is a direct meeting between two sides with different objectives, but one that could produce an open and evenly matched contest.

The fixture carries implications for both clubs.

Genoa, who have accumulated 33 points and sit 13th in the table, are nine points clear of the relegation zone and are edging ever closer to confirming their top-flight survival.

Udinese, in 11th place after a consistent campaign, are looking to cement a spot in the middle of the standings.

The Ferraris, a ground steeped in historic battles, promises a heated atmosphere on Friday night.

Match preview

Genoa are experiencing a rare spell of relief.

After months of uncertainty and managerial instability, the appointment of Daniele De Rossi in November 2025 gave the club a new sense of direction.

The impact is still being calibrated, with De Rossi recording a 27 per cent win rate across 15 matches in charge, but recent results point to clear improvement.

The 2-0 victory in Verona on matchday 29 was Genoa’s second consecutive Serie A win.

Vitinha, who came off the bench, scored with his first touch of the ball, and Leo Ostigard headed in from an Aaron Martin corner to seal the result.

The tactical reading of the match was strong, and De Rossi exploited the opposition’s errors efficiently.

At the Ferraris, Genoa have looked a more solid unit.

The regular formation is a well-drilled 3-5-2, with both forwards working in a high-pressing system designed to force mistakes from the opposition’s build-up play.

Lorenzo Colombo leads the scoring charts this season with six goals, while Ruslan Malinovskyi has contributed five goals and four assists across all competitions.

Udinese, for their part, arrive on the back of a 1-0 defeat at home to Juventus, a result that head coach Kosta Runjaic addressed with characteristic honesty.

“Juventus are a strong team, they have world class wide players like Yildiz and Conceicao, so right now we are not able to compete on the same level,” Runjaic told Sky Sport Italia after that match.

Maduka Okoye 🔥🧤 pic.twitter.com/mbb96qTj7J

— Udinese Calcio (@Udinese_1896) March 18, 2026

However, the overall trajectory of the squad in recent months has been positive.

Udinese’s season has been defined by the consistency of Keinan Davis, the English striker who has become Italian football’s great revelation of 2025/26.

With nine goals in Serie A, Davis is the division’s second-highest scorer, behind only Lautaro Martinez.

The 28-year-old forward has transformed Udinese into a far more unpredictable proposition than they would be without him.

Head-to-head record

The historical record between the two clubs is evenly balanced.

In 35 matches played since 2007, Genoa has a 13-10 advantage in overall wins, with 12 draws.

The average of 2.71 goals per game indicates a history of open contests between these two sides.

The reverse fixture this season, played in December 2025 at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, ended in a 2-1 away victory for Genoa.

In their last five home meetings, Genoa have won twice and drawn twice, with one defeat.

Team news for Genoa and Udinese

Genoa

The most eagerly awaited news concerns the return of Tommaso Baldanzi.

The playmaker, on loan from Roma, suffered a muscle problem in his left thigh following the Inter match and has missed the last few fixtures.

On Wednesday, he trained with the group for the first time, but his chances of starting are slim, as De Rossi is expected to take a cautious approach.

Malinovskyi is also listed as unavailable through injury.

Norton-Cuffy and Otoa remain under assessment.

Predicted Genoa XI (3-5-2): Justin Bijlow; Alessandro Marcandalli, Leo Ostigard, Johan Vasquez; Stefano Sabelli, Morten Frendrup, Junior Messias, Alexsandro Amorim, Mikael Ellertsson; Lorenzo Colombo, Caleb Ekuban.

Manager: Daniele De Rossi.

Udinese

The return of Oumar Solet is the main positive news for Runjaic.

The French centre-back has recovered from the adductor problem that kept him out of the last three matches, but is still unlikely to start in Genoa.

On the other hand, Alessandro Zanoli, Nicolo Bertola, Jordan Zemura and Adam Buksa have not travelled with the squad.

Predicted Udinese XI (3-5-2): Maduka Okoye; Christian Kabasele, Thomas Kristensen, Kingsley Ehizibue; Oier Zarraga, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, Jesper Karlstrom, Arthur Atta, Hassane Kamara; Nicolo Zaniolo, Keinan Davis.

Manager: Kosta Runjaic.

Star players: Frendrup and Davis headline Genoa vs. Udinese

The managers

De Rossi

De Rossi took charge of Genoa in November 2025 with a clear mission to steer the club out of turbulence.

A World Cup winner with Italy in 2006 and a Roma legend across more than two decades as a player, the Italian is still building his identity as a manager.

The 3-5-2 system has been his foundation, with tactical tweaks applied on a game-by-game basis depending on the opposition.

He prioritises defensive balance and quick transitions, which plays exactly to the strengths of his squad.

In Verona, his second half substitutions changed the course of the match, suggesting he reads the game well during the 90 minutes.

Runjaic

Runjaic, a German coach of Croatian descent, has been at Udinese since 2024.

Over the course of this season, the 54-year-old has built an organised side in a 3-5-2 shape, relying on rapid vertical transitions and the focal point of Davis in attack.

He is not one to shy away from blunt assessments, as his post-match comments about Juventus demonstrated, admitting openly that their opponents were the superior side.

That realism, curiously, appears to help his squad stay focused without the burden of excessive pressure.

Tactical preview

Both teams share the same base system: a 3-5-2 with build-up play through the wing-backs and two reference strikers.

This creates an intriguing mirror-image encounter, where the duels on the flanks and along the pressing line could prove decisive.

Genoa tend to be more reactive at home than the name might suggest.

De Rossi prefers a mid-block, allowing the opposition to build before attacking the spaces left behind.

Frendrup and the Messias/Amorim partnership in midfield drive the transitions.

Colombo occupies the box, while Ekuban drifted wide to good effect in Verona.

Udinese, with Davis and Nicolo Zaniolo paired together, offer speed and unpredictability.

The former Roma forward functions best when given the freedom to drift into the channels, meaning Genoa’s back three, particularly Ostigard and Vasquez, will need to stay alert.

Kabasele has been having a strong season in the Udinese defence and will cause Colombo problems in aerial duels. The visitors’ weakness away from home, especially in matches where the opposition presses their build-up play, could be exploited by the high tempo that Frendrup and Messias impose.

On the other hand, if Genoa sit too deep, Davis and the former Roma man have the quality to decide things from distance.

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye will be key to Udinese’s hopes of keeping things tight at the back, having produced several impressive saves in recent outings, including the defeat to Juventus. His performance against Juventus earned him a spot in the official Serie A Team of the Week and he could be vital to a positive result for Udinese.

Score prediction and betting tips for Genoa vs. Udinese

Betting tips