Udinese host AS Roma at the Bluenergy Stadium on Saturday in a Serie A clash that could determine the future of Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaic. The German manager, who arrived in the summer of 2024, guided the team to 12th and then 10th place in his first two seasons while implementing an attractive style of play. However, a run of six consecutive defeats has left Udinese 17th in the table with only nine goals scored and 18 conceded in nine matches, making the Halloween fixture a potential turning point.
Ownership backs Runjaic but pressure mounts
Despite the poor run, the club's ownership has backed Runjaic and confirmed he will remain at least until the November international break. A 0-0 draw away to Parma on Wednesday provided a brief respite, but sporting director Gianluca Nani demanded a reaction. "We are coming off six consecutive defeats, but we firmly believe that this team is not who we really are," Nani told DAZN. "We are the same side that put in some impressive performances, against Como, for example, and also against Lazio. This is not an easy period, and it is our responsibility to turn things around and get back on the path we set out on two years ago."
Nani calls for focus and courage
Nani added that performances like the one against Lecce were unacceptable and called for greater focus on individual moments. He pointed to the match in Turin where Udinese should have won, urging the team to give everything and not be afraid.
Davis on Serie A versus English football
Udinese striker Keinan Davis spoke to CBS Sports Golazo's Morning Footy about the differences between Serie A and English football. "Compared to England, it's much slower, I'd say. And more structured and tactical. You get less 1v1 kind of actions. In the Premier League or in the Championship, you get a lot of wing play. Here they play a lot of five at the back. So it's usually wing-backs and a lot of crosses and stuff like that," Davis said. He also noted the passionate Italian fan culture and admitted a preference for English food.
De Roon settling in at Roma
Roma midfielder Marten de Roon, who moved from Atalanta in the summer, discussed his reunion with coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "I'm happy to re-find him and it was like he's never gone away. Still the same ideas, some developments, but in the end, yeah, his playing style, the way he wants to do things, I still memorize it," de Roon said. He highlighted the squad's depth, noting that Roma have about 19 or 20 players who can all play at a similar level, which helped them come from behind to draw against Napoli.
The match kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 31, and will be broadcast on CBS. Odds list Udinese at +448, the draw at +337, and AS Roma as favorites at -198.
