Udinese vs Cremonese: Serie A Clash on 17 May 2026

On 17 May 2026, the lights of the Bluenergy Stadium - Stadio Friuli in Udine will frame a meeting of very different pressures: Udinese chasing a strong top-half finish, Cremonese fighting to avoid the drop. With only two rounds left in Serie A, every ball, every duel and every decision could tilt the balance between mid-table comfort and relegation heartbreak.

Season Context

Udinese arrive in solid shape in the middle of the Serie A table. Sitting 10th with 50 points from 36 matches, they have combined 14 wins, 8 draws and 14 defeats, scoring 45 goals and conceding 46. A goal difference of -1 underlines a team that has been competitive in most games, while their position in the top half reflects a campaign of relative stability.

Cremonese travel to Udine under far greater strain. They are 18th with 31 points from 36 matches, with 7 wins, 10 draws and 19 losses, and a goal difference of -23. Their 30 goals scored against 53 conceded highlight a side that has struggled at both ends (0.8 goals scored per game, 1.5 conceded per game), and their current status is explicitly marked as “Relegation - Serie B”, making this trip a potential last lifeline.

Form & Momentum

Udinese’s recent league form string reads “WWDLW”, a sequence that captures a team finishing the year strongly (4 wins in their last 5). Over the full campaign they have scored 45 goals in 36 matches (1.25 per game) and conceded 46 (1.28 per game), figures that support the idea of a balanced, competitive side capable of edging tight contests when confidence is high.

Cremonese come in with the form “WLLDL”, a run that underlines inconsistency (3 defeats in the last 5) but also a faint pulse of resistance thanks to that solitary win. Their season-long numbers show a more fragile structure: 30 goals scored in 36 matches (0.83 per game) and 53 conceded (1.47 per game), illustrating why they have been described as vulnerable at the back (53 goals conceded) and often short of firepower going forward (30 goals scored).

Head-to-Head Patterns

The recent Serie A history between these sides leans slightly towards Udinese. On 20 October 2025, Cremonese and Udinese shared the points in Cremona with a 1-1 draw (Serie A, season 2025, October 2025), a tight contest that reflected the hosts’ need for resilience and the visitors’ ability to grind out results away from home.

Back on 23 April 2023, Udinese asserted their authority in Udine with a commanding 3-0 home victory over Cremonese (Serie A, season 2022, April 2023). That match at the Dacia Arena showcased Udinese’s capacity to punish defensive lapses, a theme that could resurface given Cremonese’s current defensive record (53 goals conceded).

Another notable league meeting came on 30 October 2022, when Cremonese and Udinese fought out a 0-0 stalemate in Cremona (Serie A, season 2022, October 2022). That goalless draw underlined Cremonese’s ability, on their day, to shut the game down, even against a more established top-flight opponent.

Tactical Preview

Udinese’s statistical profile points towards a flexible, back-three-based approach. Their most-used systems are 3-5-2 (18 matches) and 3-4-2-1 (8 matches), occasionally shifting into 4-4-2 (3 matches). That suggests a side comfortable with three central defenders, wing-backs providing width and a double strike force or dual attacking midfielders. With 45 goals from 36 games (1.25 per match), Udinese have enough attacking threat to justify this structure, while conceding 46 (1.28 per match) indicates they accept some risk to maintain offensive presence.

In the final third, the presence of K. Davis is a major asset. K. Davis, an attacker, has scored 10 goals and provided 4 assists in Serie A, taking 37 shots with 24 on target and winning 143 of 305 duels. Those numbers depict a physically imposing forward who can both finish and link play (28 key passes), ideal for a 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 that relies on a focal point. Around him, N. Zaniolo, listed as an attacker in the squad but operating as a creative force in the assist charts, has 5 goals and 6 assists, plus 53 key passes, giving Udinese a powerful ball-carrier between the lines.

Cremonese, by contrast, are wedded to the 3-5-2 (24 matches), with 4-4-2 (5 matches) and 3-1-4-2 (4 matches) as alternatives. The heavy use of three centre-backs suggests a team trying to protect a defence that has still conceded 53 goals (1.47 per game). Their 30 goals scored (0.83 per game) underline a more reactive, counter-attacking profile, looking to stay compact and break through direct balls or quick transitions.

In attack, F. Bonazzoli is the key reference. F. Bonazzoli, an attacker, has 9 goals and 1 assist, with 54 shots and 30 on target, underlining his role as primary finisher. Behind him, J. Vandeputte, a midfielder, offers creativity and work-rate with 5 assists, 887 passes at 77% accuracy and 53 key passes, suggesting Cremonese will rely on his delivery from wide or half-spaces to unlock Udinese. Defensively, G. Pezzella stands out with 48 tackles, 11 blocks and 11 interceptions, but his 8 yellow cards and one red card highlight a combative style that could be a risk in a high-stakes away match.

The central tactical battle will likely hinge on Udinese’s wing-backs and attacking midfielders finding space around Cremonese’s midfield five. Udinese’s ability to create from multiple zones (45 goals, with a strong recent last-five attacking index of 56% in the prediction model) contrasts with Cremonese’s more modest attacking output, but the visitors’ 10 clean sheets across home and away show they can frustrate opponents when their 3-5-2 block is well-organised.

Statistical Snapshot

• Competition: Serie A, season 2025 — 17 May 2026.
• Venue: Bluenergy Stadium - Stadio Friuli, Udine.
• Prediction: Win or draw — Double chance : Udinese or draw.
• Win Probabilities: Home 50% / Draw 50% / Away 0%.
• Model: Udinese 71.2% — Cremonese 28.8%.

Betting Verdict

The prediction model leans clearly towards the hosts, recommending “Double chance : Udinese or draw” on the back of Udinese’s stronger form (“WWDLW”) and Cremonese’s more troubled recent run (“WLLDL”). With home win odds hovering around 2.30–2.50 and the draw roughly in the 3.20–3.40 range, the market still respects Cremonese’s desperation, but the underlying numbers (Udinese 45 scored vs Cremonese 30, and the model’s 71.2% total rating for Udinese) support siding with the hosts not to lose. Taking the double chance on Udinese or draw aligns both with the statistical edge and with the head-to-head pattern that has recently favoured Udinese in Udine.