In past seasons, thanks to their impressive performances, Udinese would be in the top quarter of the table, battling it out with the league's "bigger sides" for a European football spot. As such, clashes between the Zebrette and their upcoming visitors Inter would see the hosts sometimes even ahead of the Nerazzurri in the league standings. However, it's an entirely different story this season.
Udinese
Unfortunately, despite starting their season off on an impressive note by becoming the first team to defeat Juventus on matchday one at la Vecchia Signora's home ground, this campaign has not been kind to Stefano Colantuono's men. Previously spearheaded by veteran striker Antonio Di Natale, age appears to have finally caught up to their star player and the Bianconeri have struggled terribly this season, with just 18 points from their fist 15 games.
Whilst they are still nonetheless out of the relegation zone, the tightness of the league table this season means that their 13th-placed standing only has them four points ahead of 18th-placed Frosinone, meaning that any further slip-ups could be costly and their confidence will be shot after losing 3-0 to Fiorentina in last weekend's round of matches.
The heavy loss to the Viola snapped Udinese's three match winning streak and unfortunately for them, they do not have a good record against current league leaders Inter at the Stadio Communale Friuli. Out of their past 12 league meetings, they have won just two, losing six and drawing the other four. All in all, in their past 14 meetings, their record stands as five wins, eight losses, and just one draw.
Still, there is reason for hope: Udinese have been solid at home, especially in their last handful of games. They are, in fact, unbeaten in their last four league games, with two wins and two draws after losing their last six home Serie A matches. Nonetheless, they will be without Felipe dal Belo and Danilo due to suspension, and will be taking on one of the league's most in-form goalkeepers - Samir Handanovic - who just so happens to be a former employee and is a big reason for Inter conceding the fewest amount of goals in the league so far this season.
Inter
In fact, Inter's 2-1 defeat to Napoli was the first time Handanovic had conceded a goal in the team's last six matches. Although their attack, with just 18 goals, is vastly dwarfed by the efforts of Fiorentina and Roma (30 each) and Napoli (with 28), the Nerazzurri are still enjoying one of their best seasons in recent times as they sit on top of the league table as we approach the midway point of the 2015/2016 Serie A campaign.
Roberto Mancini's men, however, have been prone to quite a bit of criticism given that most of their games, including their recent win over Genoa, have finished as a 1-0 result. They have been accused of "playing it too safe and not playing entertaining football", however, in this sport, three points are three points, regardless of if it's a scrappy 1-0 win or a 6-0 humiliation versus one's opponent.
Their 4-0 crushing of recently promoted Frosinone was the only time all season that the Nerazzurri have beaten an opponent by more than a one-goal margin, but nonetheless the formula appears to be working - for now. Fortunately, with the exception of the suspended Danilo D’Ambrosio, Mancini will have pretty much most of his first-choice options available for selection.
Should they win over Udinese Saturday evening, they will open a four point gap over Fiorentina - albeit for just 24 hours - before the Viola take on Juventus on Sunday. With Roma and Napoli - the latter of whom are just two points behind Inter - also duking it out on Sunday, this weekend could see some major shake-ups in the top five sides by the time the dust has settled.
Just as things are pretty tight near the bottom of the table, they are equally as close near the top. Only six points divide Inter from reigning champions Juventus, who have rebounded after a poor start to edge their way into fifth place with 27 points. This will be surely something the Nerazzurri will have in mind ahead of their arrival in Udine for Saturday's match and indeed, it looks set to be an interesting round 16 of calcio action for Serie A fans worldwide.
Which channel is broadcasting Udinese vs Inter Milan on TV or Online?
Despite the stark difference in their seasons so far, Udinese will still nonetheless hope to put a dent in Inter's title aspirations as they meet at the Stadio Communale Friuli on Saturday evening. Perhaps you are one of the fans who just happens to be in Udine and will be heading to the stadium to catch the action live. However, for the rest of Nerazzurri and Zebrette fans, LiveSoccerTV.com has plenty of good options to watch the game via TV, computer, phone, or tablet. Here are some selections for those who live in the following countries:
- In the USA at 14.45 EST on: beIN Sports USA, RAI International, beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., fuboTV
- In Italy at 20.45 CET on: Sky Sport 1 HD Italia, Sky Calcio 1, SKY Go Italia, Sky Supercalcio HD
- In the UK at 19.45 GMT on: BT Sport Live Streaming, BT Sport 1
- In Canada at 14.45 ET on: beIN SPORTS CONNECT Canada, RAI International, beIN Sports Canada
Live elsewhere? Simply check out our special Udinese vs. Inter Milan broadcast page for specific viewing times and options for wherever you call home.
*NOTE: Live broadcast listings are subject to change*
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
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