Safe from danger since last week, Salernitana play their final home game of the Serie A season when they welcome mid-table Udinese to Stadio Arechi on Saturday.

A series of draws under Paulo Sousa proved enough for the Campanian club to secure a third straight year in Italy's top flight, while their visitors have lost their last two matches to harm hopes of a top-half finish.

Match preview

Beating Atalanta in their most recent home fixture all but confirmed Salernitana's Serie A status for next season, before coming close to defeating another top-seven side added to their league-high tally of draws last time out.

Due to conceding a late equaliser against Roma in Monday's 2-2 draw at Stadio Olimpico, the Granata have now failed to win any of their last eight away fixtures, but better form on Salerno soil has proved enough to keep them afloat in the Italian top flight.

Salernitana have won six home games this season - also drawing and losing the same number - and three of those victories arrived during a recent unbeaten run at Stadio Arechi; on Saturday, they will aim to go seven successive home matches without defeat in Serie A for the very first time.

Since Paulo Sousa was appointed in February, following Davide Nicola's departure, the Campanian club have reached the relative comfort of 15th spot in the standings; having held Inter, Napoli and Roma to draws over the past two months.

Set to conclude their campaign at Cremonese next weekend, they will surely hope to retain the services of top scorer Boulaye Dia this summer - the Senegal striker netted his 16th goal of the season in Rome - and then an assault on the top half of the table could even be on the cards for next term.

Ahead of the long trip south this weekend, Udinese have won on both of their previous visits to Salerno in Serie A: a 2-1 victory back in February 1999 and a 4-0 success in May of last year.

More recently, though, the Friulani have lost their last two matches without scoring a goal and could now suffer three straight defeats in the league for the first time since September 2021.

With leading marksman Beto sidelined for a spell, and star player Gerard Deulofeu seeing his season prematurely ended by injury, Andrea Sottil's side have failed to score in six of their last eight away matches too - including each of the last four.

Such a lack of firepower has contributed to Udinese's total of 13 draws this season - leaving them second only to Salernitana (15) in that regard - and after a 1-0 home loss to Lazio last weekend they sit 12th in the standings; four points shy of the top 10.

Scheduled to meet Juventus on the final day, two more points would help them achieve the club's highest total for a decade - it is now 10 years since the Bianconeri hauled 66 points to seal a remarkable fifth-place finish.

Team News

After both were booked against Roma, Salernitana centre-backs Norbert Gyomber and Flavius Daniliuc must now serve suspensions for accumulated yellow cards, causing something of a selection headache for Paulo Sousa; fellow defender Federico Fazio is unavailable due to injury.

Formerly of Udinese - for whom he played 65 times during a two-year stay - William Troost-Ekong should therefore join Matteo Lovato in deputising at the heart of the hosts' defence.

After scoring his sixth goal of the season on Monday, Antonio Candreva - who made his first three Serie A appearances with Udinese back in the 2007-08 campaign and has since scored five times against his former team - should start in support of Krzysztof Piatek up front; Boulaye Dia is set to miss out with a knee injury.

While defensive mainstay Rodrigo Becao is now back from a ban for Udinese, Tottenham Hotspur-bound Destiny Udogie will be suspended on Saturday; meaning the visitors have to make a change on their left flank.

Marvin Zeegelaar - who recently rejoined the Friulani on a short-term deal, after 18 months without a club - is favourite to fill in at wing-back.

Now back to full fitness, Beto leads the line in attack, but Isaac Success is still missing due to a thigh problem; longer-term absentees Gerard Deulofeu and Kingsley Ehizibue join him on the sidelines.

Salernitana possible starting lineup:
Ochoa; Troost-Ekong, Lovato, Pirola; Mazzocchi, Coulibaly, Vilhena, Bradaric; Candreva, Kastanos; Piatek

Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Becao, Bijol, Perez; Pereyra, Arslan, Walace, Lovric, Zeegelaar; Samardzic; Beto

We say: Salernitana 2-1 Udinese

While Udinese can end their goal drought against a Salernitana side that struggles to keep clean sheets, the hosts have plenty of attacking threat and have rarely been beaten of late - they are going from strength to strength under Paulo Sousa.


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