Clear-headed on and off the pitch, Oier Zarraga once again showcased his finest attributes, but this time in the Udinese Tonight studio on Monday evening as he admitted that the defeat to Roma on Sunday evening stemmed from an overly passive approach in the early stages.
“The first half wasn’t good, but I think we reacted well in the second half. That’s the path that we need to follow.”
The former Athletic Club player also took stock of the beginning of his time at this new club.
“I’ve come here from a different city and a different type of football at a different club. I’ve learnt so much over the last few months. I’m sure the team is stronger when we are united and do what the coach wants. That’s why we need to be aggressive, get on the ball and attack with speed. That’s what we’ll do against Verona.”
The Spaniard also touched on the differences that he’s noticed in Italian football so far: “In Italy it’s much more technical and tactical. I can improve here because I’m an attacking player and there’s so much work being done on the defence. I must listen to the coach and learn from experienced players like Roberto Pereyra.
“Gabriele Cioffi has already spoken to me so much. I feel much more comfortable with him. I think he can see how hard I’m training and how much I want to play.”
It is fair to say that Zarraga’s Serie A debut against Juventus did not go to plan, but he was able to bounce back from it.
“It was a bad mistake against Juve. I overcame it thanks to the help of my family and team-mates. I’m not the same Oier as I was that day. I need to learn from everything, especially my mistakes.
“I’m different from our other midfielders in the squad. I’m a mezzala who can also play in a deeper role as part of a midfield pairing, but I prefer to get on the ball. I need to be more aggressive without the ball, look ahead and get myself into the box, otherwise the coach won’t see me to pick me!”
In terms of attitude, the 24-year-old is convinced that he is doing the right things.
“Being at Udinese is the same as being at Athletic for me. I always want my team to win and be involved in big games. I don’t like it when we lose. I also want to win small-sided matches in training because I'm convinced that you play the same way as you train. At Athletic, everyone is from the same country, while our strength here comes from a mix of different cultures.”