Bottom-placed Hellas Verona host mid-table Udinese on Monday evening, January 26, 2026, at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi. The hosts sit 20th with just 14 points from 21 matches, while the visitors occupy 10th with 26 points. Paolo Zanetti's side desperately need points to escape the relegation zone, but Kosta Runjaić's Udinese arrive with renewed confidence after their recent win at Torino.
Verona's form has been dismal, managing just two draws in their last five matches. They fell 2-3 to Bologna on January 15, then salvaged a 0-0 stalemate at Cremonese on Monday. Before that, they lost 0-1 to Lazio on January 11, drew 2-2 with Napoli on January 7, and suffered a 0-3 defeat to Torino on January 4. Injuries have ravaged Zanetti's squad, with Tomas Suslov out until March with torn knee ligaments, while Enzo Ebosse, Amin Sarr, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, and Armel Bella-Kotchap are all sidelined. The return of Unai Nunez from suspension provides some relief, but the loss of Giovane to Napoli further weakens their attacking options.
Udinese's recent record shows three draws, one win, and one loss from their last five outings. They lost 0-1 to Inter Milan on Saturday, drew 2-2 with Pisa on January 10, beat Torino 2-1 on January 7, lost 1-0 to Como on January 3, and drew 1-1 with Lazio on December 27. Striker Keinan Davis has been in good form and will lead the line again, supported by Arthur Atta who has recovered from injury. However, Runjaić must cope without Nicolo Zaniolo following knee surgery, while Kingsley Ehizibue, Adam Buksa, and Jakub Piotrowski are also unavailable. Lennon Miller could deputize in midfield for the injured Piotrowski.
The head-to-head history reveals an evenly matched rivalry. Both teams have won 6 of their 21 meetings, with 9 draws. Verona have not lost to Udinese in their last 6 encounters, recording 2 wins and 4 draws since 2023. Their most recent clash in August 2025 ended 1-1, while Verona won 1-0 at home in March 2025. The January 2025 meeting at the Bentegodi finished goalless.
My model backs Udinese or Draw and Over 1.5 Goals at 11/10 (2.10 decimal) with a 49.58% probability. The correct score prediction is Draw 1-1, with expected goals of 1.09 for Verona and 1.31 for Udinese. Four of the last six meetings between these sides have produced at least two goals. The narrow xG gap suggests a tight contest, and with Verona's defensive struggles compounded by injuries, both teams should find the net while Udinese's superior form gives them the edge to avoid defeat.
