Udinese host AS Roma at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine on Saturday, October 31, with kickoff at 1 p.m. ET, in a Serie A clash that could decide the future of Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaic. The match will be broadcast on CBS in the United States.
Runjaic under pressure after six straight defeats
The German manager, who joined Udinese in the summer of 2024, guided the team to 12th place in his first season and 10th in the following campaign while implementing an attractive style of play. However, Udinese have lost six consecutive matches before a 0-0 draw away to Parma on Wednesday, leaving them 17th in the table with nine goals scored and 18 conceded in nine matches. Despite a solid start that included a home draw against Como and an away win at Monza, the poor run has put Runjaic's position in jeopardy. The club's ownership has publicly backed him and confirmed he will remain in charge at least until the November international break.
Sporting director demands reaction
Sporting director Gianluca Nani called for a response from the squad after the Parma draw. "We are coming off six consecutive defeats, but we firmly believe that this team is not who we really are. We are the same side that put in some impressive performances, against Como, for example, and also against Lazio. This is not an easy period, and it is our responsibility to turn things around and get back on the path we set out on two years ago," Nani told DAZN. He added that performances like the one against Lecce were unacceptable and urged greater focus on individual moments.
Davis contrasts Serie A with English football
Udinese striker Keinan Davis spoke to CBS Sports Golazo's Morning Footy ahead of the game, describing the differences between Serie A and English football. "Compared to England, it's much slower, I'd say. And more structured and tactical. You get less 1v1 kind of actions. In the Premier League or in the Championship, you get a lot of wing play. Here they play a lot of five at the back. So it's usually wing-backs and a lot of crosses and stuff like that," Davis said. He also noted the passionate fan culture in Italy and admitted a personal preference for English food.
De Roon settling in at Roma
AS Roma midfielder Marten de Roon, who moved from Atalanta in the summer, also appeared on Morning Footy. Reunited with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, de Roon said the adaptation was smooth: "I'm happy to re-find him and it was like he's never gone away. Still the same ideas, some developments, but in the end, yeah, his playing style, the way he wants to do things, I still memorize it." De Roon highlighted the squad's depth, noting that Roma have about 19 or 20 players capable of starting without a drop in quality, which helped them recover from deficits against Napoli and in other matches.
Odds for the match list Udinese at +448, a draw at +337, and AS Roma as favorites at -198.
