Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuaín. (Photo : Getty Images)
Lowly club Udinese Calcio (8-15-7, 31 points) is scheduled to host second-running team SSC Napoli (20-3-7, 67 points) in a 2015-2016 Serie A season matchup at the Dacia Arena on Sunday, April 3rd.
Udinese is on a downward spiral late in the season as it has been winless in 11 of their last 12 matches to settle at the 16th spot of the current league table, precariously three points above the bottom three relegation zone.
With their ongoing struggles, Le Zebrette needs to string a few wins in order to avoid relegation to the Serie B next season.
Bianconeri Friuliani snapped their two-game losing skid during their last domestic top flight match with a draw on the road versus contending squad US Sassuolo, 1-1, at the Mapei Stadium - Città del Tricolore on March 20th, as per ESPN.
Manager Eusebio Di Francesco's boys actually drew first blood during the contest, a left-footed shot from center box by Colombian striker Duvan Zapata at the eighth minute.
However, I Neroverdi was able to equalize the count four minutes after the hour mark with a header from Italian forward Matteo Politano off an assist by teammate Federico Peluso to share a point with Udinese in the standings.
Meanwhile, Napoli will look to extend their three-game winning run to four games as they also try to stay at par with defending champions and current league leaders Juventus in the overall standings, who are only three points above the second-placed squad.
With eight games remaining in the current season, Partenopei still has a chance to win the Scudetto for only the third time in the club's history if Juve will go on a winless slide. Gli Azzurri last won the Italian title back in 1989-1990.
Napoli is coming off a 3-1 demolition of middling team Genoa at their home stadium of San Paolo also on March 20th, via Forza Italian Football.
Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuaín contributed a brace in the second half for Maurizio Sarri's side while Moroccan midfielder Omar El Kaddouri added one in injury time to complete the hosts' three-goal haul.
Genoa opened the scoring with a goal by Venezuelan winger Tomas Rincon at the 10th minute but it was all Il Grifone could do in the match.
The predicted result is a 3-0 romp for Napoli.
Udinese starting lineup (3-4-1-2 formation): Karnezis; Heurtaux, Danilo, Felipe; Widmer, Kuzmanovic, Hallfredsson, Armero; Fernandez; Zapata, Thereau
Napoli starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Reina; Soderlund, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Jorginho, Hamsik; Callejon, Higuaín, Insigne
