Runjaic is saying goodbye to Serie A. The German coach paid dearly for the 5-2 defeat against Roma , and Udinese have decided to change direction. In his place comes Paolo Zanetti , who will make his debut on November 6th against Venezia. Currently with five points, the Bianconeri are in the race for survival, two points ahead of the Venetians and two points behind 17th-placed Monza.
In a few days, the former midfielder will have to work on his squad, hoping to secure golden points in the relegation battle. Then comes the break, which will allow the new arrival to work more consistently with his new players.
Udinese makes Zanetti official
This is the statement from the Friulians : "Udinese Calcio is pleased to announce that it has entrusted Paolo Zanetti with the technical guidance of the first team. He has signed a contract until June 30, 2027. Born in Valdagno, in the province of Vicenza, on December 16, 1982, Zanetti boasts a career as a footballer, during which he wore the shirts of, among others, Torino and Atalanta, also collecting five appearances for the Under 21 national team. After hanging up his boots, he immediately embarked on a coaching career, leading the Berretti team of Reggiana at just 33 years of age. His journey in professional football began in the 2017/2018 season at the helm of Südtirol, with which he achieved important results that, after two seasons in Bolzano, earned him a call-up to Ascoli in Serie B. The season of consecration was 2020/2021, when he led Venezia to promotion to Serie A, bringing the Lagunari in the top flight after a 19-year absence. Zanetti remained on the Venezia bench for the following season, before moving to Empoli, with whom he comfortably achieved survival in the 2022/2023 season. His last experience in Serie A was at Verona, the team he led to fourteenth place in the 2024/2025 season and with whom he remained until February 2026. Now a new challenge awaits Paolo Zanetti: leading Udinese and starting a new chapter in his career in black and white. The new coach will lead the first training session tomorrow afternoon. The presentation press conference will be held on Wednesday at 3:00 pm. A warm welcome from the entire club goes to Mr. Zanetti and his entire team. On January 23, Zanetti will face Roma at the Olimpico.
