Udinese vs Sassuolo prediction 15.02.2026 | Serie A

Udinese have hovered around mid-table for years. Three 12th place finishes in the last four seasons tells you that. This year feels slightly different. Ninth place, 32 points, and Europe is not impossibly far away. Nine points is a gap, yes, but not an unbridgeable one in February.

Kosta Runjaić’s men saw a two match winning streak end with a 2-1 defeat at Lecce. However, the Bluenergy Stadium has been reliable. Only one defeat in the last five home outings. Defensively, I Bianconeri conceded just four goals across those five games. That stability matters in fixtures like this.

Up front, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp has three league goals and should feature alongside Bayo and Atta. It is not a prolific trio, but there is movement and work rate.

Keinan Davis remains sidelined with an adductor issue and is unlikely back before March. Jakub Piotrowski and Alessandro Zanoli are also unavailable with knee and cruciate ligament injuries.

Sassuolo’s story has been one of resilience. Relegated after eleven straight Serie A seasons, then straight back up as Serie B champions with 82 points. That kind of bounce says something about structure.

This season, survival is the clear aim. Eleven points separate I Neroverdi from the drop zone, which offers some breathing room. Recent form has been mixed.

Two wins in the last three matches, yet just one victory in the last six away games. That away record nags a little. The 5-0 defeat to Inter last weekend was bruising.

No new injuries emerged from that game, which is a small mercy. Nemanja Matić is suspended after his red card, so changes in midfield are expected.

M’Bala Nzola could be used deeper, while Cristian Volpato, with four assists and one goal in 13 appearances, is pushing for a start further forward. Fabio Grosso may tweak both shape and tempo after such a heavy loss.