Udinese manager Kosta Runjaic emphasized the need for his team to show passion and intensity from the opening whistle in their upcoming Serie A match against Venezia. Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Runjaic outlined his expectations for Saturday’s crucial encounter at the Bluenergy Stadium.
“We want an Udinese that gives everything from the first minute,” Runjaic stated. “Against Roma, we started solidly but without the fire inside. This is a fundamental factor, especially when playing at home.”
The coach stressed the importance of the right mentality, saying, “We want to win just as Venezia will want to win. We must put ourselves in the right conditions to win tomorrow’s game. There must be the right spirit from the first minute.”
Runjaic warned against underestimating Venezia despite their league position: “They are in the penultimate place but can be a very dangerous team. The first leg is a warning to all of us.”
Addressing the team’s recent form and mentality, Runjaic acknowledged, “We are in a growth process. The performance against Atalanta represents the model we want to provide not just for one game but for the entire season.”
He added, “To do this, you need to have certain qualities, have mentality, react to situations, know how to adapt, and so on. In this sense, we don’t have a certain consistency, and we need to be consistent.”
When questioned about tactical choices and formation, Runjaic emphasized that success depends more on attitude than tactics: “It’s easy to talk according to statistics and formations, it doesn’t work in football. To get results, the team must be focused from the start, aggressive. This counts much more than formations.”
Runjaic concluded by calling for a strong reaction from his players: “There must be a reaction. It’s not the fans, the club, I have my responsibilities, but it’s the team that must then respond on the field.”
