Udinese coach Kosta Runjaic expressed determination and cautious optimism ahead of his team’s challenging away fixture against Serie A leaders Napoli. Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Runjaic acknowledged the formidable nature of their opponents while emphasizing Udinese’s intent to compete.
Runjaic began by highlighting Napoli’s strengths: “I think Napoli are an even more physical team than we are. They always run more kilometres than their opponents and always play with such intensity. They play good football too and have talented individuals.”
The coach stressed the importance of a collective effort from his team: “We’re going to need great intensity ourselves. We must remain compact and squeeze every drop of energy we have if we want to pick up points at their place. We must pull out all the stops and play as a team to get a result.”
Addressing the threat posed by Napoli’s in-form players, particularly David Neres, Runjaic emphasized the need for a team-oriented defensive approach: “There’s no magic formula to keep him quiet. It will have to be a team effort.”
Runjaic also discussed his tactical approach, drawing inspiration from Roma’s recent performance against Napoli: “We have to do the same thing: not leave any gaps and use the ball well when we have it.”
The coach provided updates on player availability, mentioning that Keinan Davis was recovering from flu, while Lautaro Giannetti and Kingsley Ehizibue were set to join the squad. He also praised Jurgen Ekkelenkamp’s versatility and recent performances, hinting at a potential start for the player.
While acknowledging Napoli’s favorite status, Runjaic remained optimistic about Udinese’s chances: “Nobody has ever won a game before kick-off but Napoli are the favourites. Football is an open game. If we give everything we have then anything is possible.”
Runjaic concluded with a realistic yet determined outlook: “We’ll go there intent on picking up points albeit knowing that lots of things will need to fall into place for that to happen. We know how strong and consistent they are. The stats say they’ve always produced great performances. They also have the advantage of not playing in Europe this season, but we don’t have Europe either so we’ll use every drop of energy to come away from Naples with something.”
