Udinese will take on Empoli in Serie A this Saturday as the two sides clash right by one another in the table with the home side sitting 13th just as the away outfit look to kick on from 14th.
With both sides meeting at the Dacia Arena, there’s set to be a tense atmosphere at the stadium with the ability to crack into the top 10 all but wiped out for each club here with a defeat.
Udinese are currently sitting on 36 points and nine points adrift of 10th-placed Hellas Verona in Serie A, and a loss here spells disaster for the club.
On the other hand, they are in the midst of exceptional form and are coming off perhaps their best two wins of the season back-to-back.
Udinese managed to thrash Caliari 5-1 two weeks ago as Rodrgio Becao netted the opening goal before a fantastic hat-trick from Beto in the second half. Nahuel Molina added a fifth, as the club scored five goals in just 21 minutes of play time.
Last time out, the club edged past Venezia away from home as Gerard Deulofeu netted from the spot before an equaliser from the home side. Becao scored yet again, however, as he netted a winner with seconds to go at the Pier Luigi Penzo Stadium.
It has left Gabriele Cioffi's men with a chance to break into the top 10 now, as they play relegation fighters Salernitana after this, before a clash with 11th-placed Bologna soon after. It now means this one is vital if they are to give them a solid chance of a brighter end to the season.
As for Empoli, they are now into 14th and still not quite safe from relegation with them only 12 points adrift of Venezia.
Safety should be secured, but with them winning just one game in the league since their stunning victory over Napoli in Naples back in early December, they are in a torrid stint of form.
Recent results have seen them score just one goal since late February where they narrowly lost to Juventus, as Federico Di Francesco scored in a 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona.
That game was just prior to the international break, as they lost to Fiorentina 1-0 and then drew 0-0 with Spezia last time out.
Forebet predicts a game of under 2.5 goals here between two bottom half sides.