Serie A Matchday 6 on 12 October 2026 pairs two teams separated by a single point and identical goal differences, each having made a stuttering start to the campaign. Torino sit 14th with four points from five games while Udinese are 13th on the same tally, making this about as level a mid table fixture as you will find. Torino are still waiting for their first home win under Ignazio Abate, who took charge on 12 June 2026 after replacing Roberto D'Aversa and that wait gives the occasion more weight than a typical round six encounter. Udinese, who have won both recent meetings, will be looking to make it three from three against their hosts. Kosta Runjaić, in charge at Udinese since 1 July 2024 and contracted until 2027/28, will be facing Abate for the first time competitively.
Both sides share an identical record over the last five games: one win, one draw and three defeats, with Torino's most recent result a 1-1 draw at Bologna on 19 September 2026. The pattern for both has been low scoring games with spells of possession punctuated by moments of defensive carelessness and neither has shown anything like the consistency needed to move up the table. Both teams can ill afford another defeat, which makes the first goal disproportionately important.
Torino have defensive concerns, with Niccolo Fortini a doubt due to an adductor strain and Adam Masina uncertain with a hip bruise, while Franco Israel is definitely out with a shoulder injury expected to keep him sidelined until December 2026. The backline headaches will push Abate toward his deeper squad options and likely some younger players to fill the gaps. Udinese are missing players in more damaging positions: Idrissa Gueye is out until around January 2027 with an ankle injury, Jakub Piotrowski remains unavailable following a heart related issue that has kept him out since September and Nicolo Zaniolo is doubtful with a thigh problem while Keinan Davis has a hamstring concern. Losing Gueye in particular strips Runjaić of his defensive insurance in midfield, which could matter considerably in a game where Torino press high and early.
Torino are expected to line up in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1, with Rolando Mandragora as the engine of the press and Giovanni Simeone and Che Adams operating as a front two. Simeone's runs in behind and Adams's pressing from the front are the system's most direct attacking mechanism, with Nikola Vlašić dropping to receive and run channels between Udinese's lines. Udinese tend to sit in a 3-4-2-1 or 5-3-2 and stay compact, funnelling play through Jurgen Ekkelenkamp on the break. The central battle between Mandragora and Ekkelenkamp should largely determine where the play flows: if Mandragora dominates possession in the middle third, Torino can build through Vlašić and stretch Udinese's structure, if Ekkelenkamp gets time on the ball in transition, he can hurt a defence already short of cover. Simeone's movement will test whether Udinese's centre backs can hold their shape without Gueye screening them and Vlašić's creativity against a compact defensive block is probably the most interesting tactical question of the afternoon.
The absences on both sides push both managers toward caution. Torino's defensive doubts may lead Abate to prioritise structure over all out attack, while Udinese's missing midfielders and forwards will force Runjaić to lean even more heavily on Ekkelenkamp and set pieces. Neither side is currently in a position to gamble.
Udinese have won the last two meetings, including a 2-1 victory at Torino in January 2026 and a 2-0 win in May 2026. The international break may have disrupted rhythm for both sides, though it also gives managers time to work on shape and pressing triggers with returning players.
A 1-1 draw looks the most likely outcome. With Mandragora dictating tempo and Vlašić finding pockets between Udinese's lines, Torino should create the better chances but the doubts around Fortini and Masina leave them exposed on the counter, which is exactly how Udinese have been hurting teams. Ekkelenkamp remains a counter attacking threat even without Zaniolo and Davis and Runjaić's side have scored at the Olimpico Grande Torino before. Both teams have been leaky from set pieces this season and neither carries a reliable presence in the penalty area without their first choice striker, making a scrappy goal each way as plausible an outcome as any. Abate's first home win will have to wait a little longer.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
