Udinese manager Kosta Runjaic addressed the media following his team’s loss to Roma in the 22nd round of Serie A. The coach provided insights into the match and his team’s performance.
Runjaic began by acknowledging the challenge posed by Roma: “They’re a difficult team to face. They had already played in the Netherlands and were a bit tired initially. We defended well, but in the second half, we couldn’t create more chances. We conceded avoidable goals caused by our own mistakes, and unfortunately, the defeat came. It could have been avoided. We need to be honest about that.”
When asked about Ranieri’s comments on Lucca, Runjaic deflected: “I can’t respond about the transfer market. We discuss these things intensely among ourselves, but they remain private. I’m focusing on the Venezia match.”
Addressing the team’s inconsistent performances, Runjaic emphasized the importance of the present: “Football happens in the present. What we did against Atalanta or elsewhere doesn’t matter. Our stadium should be a fortress against all opponents. We played solidly in the first half but not optimally considering our capabilities and Roma’s. We need to be aware of this, improve ourselves, sharpen our weapons, give more on the field, and take a step forward in our mentality.”
Regarding substitutions, Runjaic explained: “We had to react to Toure’s injury, immediately losing a player. We had one less substitution for the second half. We made certain types of changes, but the defeat doesn’t depend on individuals. I would have liked to put more pressure on Roma in the first half to direct the game, but we couldn’t manage it.”
When questioned about the controversial second penalty, Runjaic was diplomatic: “It was the referee’s decision. I saw the incident on the phone. Sava decided to come out, maybe he touched the ball, maybe the opponent, but you have to calculate the risk in these actions. It could have been avoided, but that’s how it went.”
On his offensive strategy in the second half, Runjaic concluded: “We tried some things, but scoring against opponents who close ranks is difficult. Some set pieces could have been used better. Then you have to see if the opponent makes mistakes, which didn’t happen today. To overturn results, you need quality and luck. Congratulations to Roma.”