Udinese arrive at the first international break with a season already asking difficult questions of Kosta Runjaic’s side. A draw against Como and a win over newly promoted Monza supplied their only points from the opening five Serie A rounds; every other league outing has ended in defeat, leaving the Friulani on four points and in the lower reaches of the table.
A thin return in the standings
The early sequence has offered little continuity for Udinese. The campaign began with a point against Como before the victory over Monza brought a brief lift. Since then, however, defeats have followed, turning the pause for international football into a useful moment for the club to assess a troubled start.
- Udinese have collected four points from their first five Serie A matches.
- Their only positive results have been the draw with Como and the success against Monza.
- They have lost all of their other league fixtures in that opening stretch.
- Runjaic’s team are consequently positioned near the bottom of the standings.
Individual returns offer encouragement
Despite the collective difficulty, several Udinese players have produced useful individual performances. Among those with at least three rated appearances, Ekkelenkamp has posted the club’s best fantasy average after five rounds, reaching 7.8.
Kamara has been the other major early surprise. The defender made an immediate attacking impact in the first two Serie A matchdays, scoring twice and creating one goal, and has a fantasy average of 7.6.
- Ekkelenkamp leads Udinese’s fantasy-average rankings with 7.8.
- Kamara follows on 7.6, having recorded two goals and one assist across the first two rounds.
- Keinan Davis has a 6.8 average and has contributed two assists, although he is still waiting for his first league goal of the season.
- Solet has averaged 6.7. He has not registered a goal contribution, but his three appearances have been regarded as solid and valuable from a defensive perspective.
- Piotrowski also stands at 6.7 and scored in the win against Monza.
The task after the break
Those individual numbers provide a measure of reassurance, but Udinese’s immediate concern is to convert them into points. The next chapter of Runjaic’s first five-match assessment will be judged less by isolated fantasy returns than by whether the side can halt its losing run and climb away from the lower end of Serie A.
