Udinese look to extend win run as Napoli host Torino

rome: Udinese one of the few Serie A clubs to run their own stadium, have been owned by the same family for 36 years and has stayed in Italy’s top division for more than a quarter of a century.

Udinese, the hot est club in the Italian league following five straight wins, is not unaccustomed to punching above its weight.

Just ask coach Andrea Sot il, who is managing a Serie A club for the first time, having played for Udinese as a defender from 1999-2003 - when the northeastern club won the since-discontinued UEFA Intertoto Cup.

“It’s just like when I let: An ambitious club, with high-level facilities, services and organization,” Sotil told Corriere della Sera. “Everything necessary to work well is here. And it’s got one of the nicest stadiums in Europe.”

Featuring physical players like Brazilian center back Rodrigo Becão and Portuguese center forward Beto alongside talented veterans like Roberto Pereyra and Gerard Deolofeu, Udinese hasn’t lost since geting beat by defending champion AC Milan in the season opener at the San Siro.

Then came a draw with Salernitana when Udinese was reduced to 10 men, followed by the current winning streak which has seen Udinese surge up to third place - one point behind Napoli and Atalanta.

Udinese routed Jose Mourinho’s Roma 4-0 and beat 2020-21 champion Inter Milan 3-1 in its last match before the international break.

With 15 goals scored, Sotil’s team has the joint most in the league along with Napoli - and they’ve done it with nine different scorers, led by Beto (4), 19-year-old Destiny Udogie, who is on loan from Totenham, and Germany under-21 midfielder Lazar Samardi (2 each).

“We’re not going to get too excited, because we know how difficult Serie A is and how strong the big-city clubs are,” said Gianpaolo Pozzo, Udinese’s 81-year-old owner. “We’ve got to get players with a lot of potential and make them improve rapidly to realize our goals.”

The Pozzos also run the Waford team in England, which has supplied players like Deolofeu.

“I want to get back into Europe like we’ve done many times before,” Pozzo said, referring to the 11 times that Udinese has competed in continental competitions, highlighted by a Champions League group campaign in 2005.

On Monday, Udinese visits Hellas Verona, followed by challenging matches against Atalanta and Lazio.