Monza open their home account after a bruising 4-1 defeat at Empoli, with Ivan Juric needing a reaction against an Udinese side heavily reshuffled by suspensions and rotation. Udinese arrive with nine regulars missing from their typical lineup, severely weakening the visitors…
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Sign inMonza welcome Udinese for their second fixture of the 2026‑27 Serie A season on Saturday 29 August, hoping to bounce back from an opening‑day defeat at the champions. The Lombardy side were beaten 4‑1 at Inter yet left San Siro with a new hero, while Udinese arrive looking to build on their own positive start.
The biggest positive from that loss at Inter was the display of 21‑year‑old forward Gustavo Varela, who signed from Benfica in July and immediately made his mark. Varela first announced himself with a brace on his Monza debut in a 3‑0 Coppa Italia win over Avellino, then repeated the trick in the league. With his side trailing at San Siro, he collected Mathis Mout’s pass, turned Manuel Akanji and rifled a low finish into the far corner to temporarily level the scores. That goal made him the first Monza player to score on both his Coppa Italia and Serie A debuts in the club’s top‑flight history.
Head coach Alessandro Nesta has no fresh injury concerns and is expected to name a similar side. Semuel Pizzignacco will continue in goal, while the midfield duo of Andrea Colpani and Matteo Pessina should provide the creative spark behind Varela.
Fabio Cannavaro’s Udinese kicked off their campaign with a home fixture against newly‑promoted Como. While the Friulians have lost key players over the summer, they remain a well‑organised unit who are difficult to break down. The back three of Nehuén Pérez, Jaka Bijol and Christian Kabasele is likely to be unchanged, offering a physical challenge for Varela and the Monza attack. In midfield, Lazar Samardžić and Walace will carry the creative burden as Udinese search for their first away win of the new season.
Varela’s movement and ability to link play under pressure were the standout features of his performance at Inter. He dropped deep to collect possession, spun in behind and finished with the composure of a veteran. If Monza are to break down Udinese’s compact shape, the young striker will need to repeat that combination of physicality and sharp finishing. How Bijol and Pérez handle his runs in the channel could decide where the points go.
Nesta admitted his side struggled after taking the lead at Inter, saying the champions “did not allow us to play our game.” Monza briefly looked capable of an upset when Varela equalised, but Inter’s superior quality told in the second half as goals from Zielinski, Pio Esposito and Yann Bisseck put the match beyond reach. Still, the manner in which Monza troubled Inter in spells will give them confidence that a first league win is within reach.
Saturday’s fixture offers Monza an immediate chance to put points on the board before a tricky trip to face Bologna in round three.
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