07 May 2021
07 May 2021

Gotti calls for 'caution and courage' against Bologna

See what the boss had to say ahead of tomorrow's game against Mihajlovic's side

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Luca Gotti underlined Udinese's determination to finish the seaon on a high as he spoke ahead of Saturday's Serie A fixture with Bologna.
 
How strong is the desire to bounce back after a great performance against Juventus last week that unfortunately yielded no points?
 
“At the start of the week you could sense the disappointment in the camp – including my own – but little by little we managed to switch our focus to the next match.”

What do you want to see from the team in these last few games?
 
“Seven games ago we had 33 points and we’ve lost too many since then – some deserved and others less so. There have been lots of incidents that have gone against us and as a result we’ve dropped lots of points. We know the last four are all tricky matches but we want to try and get as many points as possible.”

Will you use the remaining games to take a closer look at some of the players who have played less so far, like Thomas Ouwejan and Jean-Victor Makengo?
 
“We will, yes. Besides anything else we have three games in week so clearly we'll need to rotate our squad more. This is Makengo's and Ouwejan’s first year in Serie A but they’ve played 13 or 14 times despite having personal problems, fitness issues and COVID. It's been a challenging first year in many ways but they’ve still been able to play. Our plans for the future are very clear on those two.”

You and Bologna go into this match level on points. How will you approach the game?
 
“With focus and courage. I expect it will be an open game in spells and both teams can show their quality.”

Is there any chance Fernando Llorente could make this one?
 
“Llorente will start training with the rest of the team again on Sunday, the day after Bologna.”

Bram Nuytinck is set to make his 100th appearance for Udinese in Serie A tomorrow. How important a figure is he for this team?
 
“Bram is a silent leader and a very positive influence in the dressing room. He works hard every day to try to help his team-mates. Besides his individual quality, he also has the ability to bring out the best in players around him.”