Udinese attacker Gerard Deulofeu sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 18 to speak about his maturity, skillset, manager Andrea Sottil, and rising talent Lazar Samardzic.
Maturity & Skillset
Since joining Udinese three years ago, Deulofeu has matured from an on-and-off performer into a game-changer and go-getter. This season, the 28-year-old Spaniard has also taken on the playmaker duties for the Bianconeri, providing assists, key passes and all-around leadership.
“The impact of a playmaker is crucial. My stats show that I’m a player who wants to see the ball, plays direct football and creates goalscoring opportunities. It’s true that our playing style means that I drop deeper into the midfield in order to get things going and start off attacks. I don’t score that many goals but I’m the fulcrum of our build-up play…”
New Manager Andrea Sottil
The man behind Deulofeu’s new leadership in the dressing room is manager Sottil. He’s shaped a very physical side that plays with nerve and ferocity, upsetting the established order in Serie A.
“After changing our mindset we now play like lions. We’re prepared to go the extra mile for our teammates. The example that the leaders and more experienced players need to set for the rest of the squad is that if you don’t put in the hard yards then you’ll get nowhere… There are many top teams out there who’ve got greater purchasing power than Udinese. How do we counteract that? By being fitter than them, and running further so that we beat them to the ball…”
Rising Star Lazar Samardzic
Udinese’s ambition to target a European place after their best-ever start to a top-flight campaign has also been fueled by a rising talent – attacking midfielder Lazar Samardzic.
“He’s a special player who’s got a wonderful left foot. It’s true that he’s young and needs to polish his game. The coaching staff and more experienced players make
him aware of what he needs to improve on. We make it known to him how much we trust him because he’s a crucial part of our team…”