Udinese manager Kosta Runjaic spoke to TV 12 ahead of tomorrow’s Serie A match against Venezia. He shared his thoughts on the team’s recent performance and expectations for the upcoming game.
Reflecting on their last match, Runjaic said, “Against Cagliari, I liked how we were in the game from the start, we won many duels. I appreciated our determination and team spirit.”
Looking ahead to the Venezia match, he commented, “We know it won’t be easy against Venezia. They play at home, in their stadium, there will be a great atmosphere. So far, they’ve been a difficult opponent for everyone, they’ve created a lot and have nothing to lose. I expect a tough game and we’ll need to put in a lot of effort.”
When asked about potential rotation with the Juventus game in mind, Runjaic emphasized focus on the immediate task: “We’re always focused on the next game, which is always the most important, but in a week like this, it’s normal to think about rotation. It’s a possibility. I can’t tell you anything about the lineup yet, we still have a night to think about it. I’ll make my decisions tomorrow.”
Runjaic praised Keinan Davis’s recent performance: “Everyone at the club is happy for Davis, for his goal and for the 90 minutes he played. He struggled a lot in pre-season, we follow him every day, he’s an important player for us. It’s possible he’ll start, just as it’s possible he’ll start from the bench. We certainly need him in good form for the whole season, as he’s a key player for us.”
On Florian Thauvin’s condition, Runjaic revealed, “Thauvin has been training with the team since Sunday, he’s in a good mood and happy to be back. He’ll definitely be available in Venice, we’ll see how to use him.”
The manager also expressed his appreciation for the fans: “I’m happy with our fans, they’ve supported us since pre-season, I feel great enthusiasm. I perceive positive energy even inside the locker room, the support of our fans is very important to us. In Venice, it will be a difficult game, it’s a derby and for many, including me, it’s the first time we play in Venice. We’ll do our job in the best possible way and then we’ll think about celebrating together.”
Regarding the team’s position in the league table, Runjaic maintained a grounded perspective: “We think game after game and we’ll continue with this approach. A growth process is underway, we want to continue training and playing as we are doing and aim to collect as many points as possible. Everyone can dream, it’s also nice to have a dream, but you have to stay focused on the present.”
