03 June 2023
03 June 2023

Sottil: "I expect a tactical affair. Defensive vigilance will be key"

The boss shares his thoughts ahead of the last game of the season against Juventus

561C7CA2-1424-4F73-9274-D6447601F75A.jpeg
Andrea Sottil reflected on his maiden Serie A campaign in charge of Udinese the day before the final league fixture, at home to Juventus.
 
“My first season in Serie A has been an extraordinary journey with a group of lads who have given me so much and I want to thank them all, from the first to the last. There have been various stages to the season and the team has changed over time. 
 
“We got off to an extraordinary start picking up lots of wins and points, playing good football and giving lots of players a chance to shine. It was a very successful period. 
 
“In the second half of the campaign our performance levels dropped but that's only natural as we were in title-winning form at the start. There were other reasons too: we lost some key players who make the difference for us in terms of training intensity, the options we had and the possibility to manage playing time. We could have done better. For example, we could and should have won more of our home games but we had some big wins too, like against Milan. 
 
“It was a real shame not to be able to end the season with everyone available, but overall I consider it an excellent season. Now we have our last game and we're thin on numbers but I'm sure we'll put everything into it and try to sign off with a big performance. We deserve that and so do the club and the fans.
 
“My team selection tomorrow will be very much forced as I don't have many choices. We'll have even more players missing but I know the club and if I need to bring in some academy players - as I've done before – they'll back me. It will give them the chance to show their potential as Udinese players.”
 
“I expect it to be a tactical affair. We must be wary of their individual talents and stop them from playing to their strengths by pressing aggressively, keeping our shape, and really wanting to take the ball off them. It's likely to be won by individual quality and defensive vigilance.
 
“Juventus have a squad of the highest quality and without their points penalty, they'd be much closer to the top. They have great players in every position. We saw when we played them earlier in the season how strong they are defensively. They cut off the passing lanes, stay very compact and strike on the counter with pacy players. Obviously they're playing for their own target but so are we, which is to end a great season with a big performance and with some big points.”
 
Sottil also had a few words to say about Roberto Pereyra, who is set to make his 200th appearance for Udinese against the Bianconeri.
 
“As is often the case with great players, he is first of all a great person – humble, intelligent and he strives to improve himself constantly. I've asked all sorts of things of him from a tactical point of view and he's always been willing to do whatever was required for me and his team-mates. He's a top player who gives us added value. 
 
“I understand the point he's reached in his career and it's only natural to consider your future. I hope he'll end his career with us because he's our captain, a great man and a great footballer.”