Udinese sack coach Kosta Runjaic after Roma defeat, Paolo Zanetti set to take over

Sacking after the Roma defeat

Udinese on Monday, 2 November 2026, sacked Kosta Runjaic, the German coach who had led the club for more than two years. The decision followed a 5-2 home defeat to AS Roma that left the Friulani second from bottom in Serie A on five points after 10 rounds, two points above Venezia at the foot of the table. The exit had been expected for several weeks, and Runjaic did not last until the next international break.

In an official note, the club said it had relieved him of his first-team duties.

“Udinese Calcio announces that it has relieved Kosta Runjaic of the first-team coaching role.”

The statement said the parting came after more than two years marked by important goals reached. It also named assistants Przemysław Małecki and Alexander Trukan, who leave with him, and wished all three good professional fortune.

A difficult start to the season

Udinese won once and drew twice in their first 10 rounds, collecting five points and conceding 23 goals, the second-worst defence in the league. Their last eight matches yielded a single point, a sharp fall after a promising opening that included a draw with Como and a win at Monza. Runjaic had guided the club to a 12th-place finish in one season and a 10th-place finish in the other. Before Udinese he coached Pogoń Szczecin from 2017 to 2022 and Legia Warsaw from 2022 to 2024. Polsat Sport reported that some Italian media speculate about a possible return to Poland, and Italian critics had pointed to his never having learned Italian.

Zanetti set to take charge

Club sources said Paolo Zanetti is set to take the reins. He has managed Verona, Empoli, Venezia and Ascoli, and his most recent job at Verona ended with a dismissal in February, when that side was bottom of the table. The appointment had not been officially confirmed at the time of reporting, and the announcement was expected shortly. Gazzetta dello Sport also named Vladimir Petković, the Bosnian former Lazio coach who led Algeria at the 2026 World Cup, among the main candidates, as reported by Ziare.

Wider churn in Serie A

Runjaic is the fifth Serie A coach to lose his job after 10 rounds. Earlier changes included Paolo Vanoli replacing Fabio Grosso at Fiorentina after three rounds and Raffaele Palladino taking over at Bologna from Domenico Tedesco. Parma parted with Carlos Cuesta after five rounds, with Alberto Gilardino taking his place, while Venezia dismissed Giovanni Stroppa after six straight defeats and appointed Davide Nicola. Udinese's next match is at the Penzo in Venice against Venezia, in the 11th-round fixture. Two Poles remain in the Udinese squad: midfielder Jakub Piotrowski, a Poland international, and goalkeeper Bartosz Mrozek.