Cagliari vs Udinese preview - Short trip for Udinese

Udinese's fans will not have far to travel for their side's away game with Cagliari for what is going to seem more like a home fixture for the Zebrette.

Indeed, Cagliari's followers must travel further to see their side in action at their adopted home in Trieste, just 50 miles down the road from Udine.

Yet restrictions on the sale of tickets for official 'away' fans mean that only 2,000 Udinese fans will be welcome inside the Stadio Nereo Rocco, much to the disappointment of their coach Francesco Guidolin.

"There must be a reason why, but as a sportsman, I cannot hide my disappointment at certain things," he said.

"It's getting all the more complicated in Italy for families to go to the stadium and this threatens to put people off."

Udinese could do with all the support they can get as they aim to seize an unexpected opportunity to play in Europe once again next season.

"It's going to be hard to qualify for Europe, but we are in the hunt so we want to give it a go," said Guidolin, whose side would move up to fifth in the table, at least for a night, with a win.

Cagliari will be without the suspended Albin Ekdal and Daniele Dessena, but their coach Diego Lopez is not going to look for excuses before kick-off.

"I don't want to talk about who is absent," he said. "We had plenty of players out against Napoli too, but those who played were fully capable.

"No matter who plays for this club, they always make their contribution."

They were not rewarded a week ago when a goal deep in stoppage time denied them a point against Napoli, and Lopez says his team are desperate to bounce back.

"We would have liked to have got back onto the field straight after the end of that game," he said.

"We are disappointed, but the team is alive."