Udinese Calcio is set to part ways with head coach Kosta Runjaić following a difficult run of results in the Serie A. The 55-year-old coach, who took charge in the summer of 2024, faces dismissal after his side managed just one victory in their opening ten league matches of the season.
The turning point for club management arrived on Saturday, when Udinese suffered a heavy 5:2 home defeat against AS Rom. According to reports citing Sky Italia, that result left the club sitting in the penultimate position in the Serie A with only five points from ten matches, while the team’s single league win came more than two months ago.
Contract Status and Tenure in Friuli
Runjaić had guided the team since 2024, stabilizing the club in the Italian top flight and earning praise for the team’s development. His contract with the Serie A outfit ran until the summer of 2027. Before his stint in Italy, Runjaić managed several German clubs, including Darmstadt 98, MSV Duisburg, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, and 1860 München, as noted by FussballTransfers.com.
🔜 #UdineseMilan Guarda il video della conferenza stampa di Mister Kosta Runjaic ⚪️⚫️⬇️⬇️⬇️https://t.co/pT8sMb7VsT
His departure leaves the Italian top flight without a single German manager at the start of November 2026, after the season began with two coaches from Germany working in the division.
Successor Candidates Line Up as Match Day Approaches
Udinese has already begun evaluating potential replacements to take over the bench. Paolo Zanetti has emerged as a candidate to succeed Runjaić. The 43-year-old former professional previously managed Hellas Verona until February 2026, alongside prior spells at Empoli and Venezia. Alternative options reportedly include Vladimir Petković, the former Switzerland national team coach who previously managed Lazio in Serie A between 2012 and 2014.
Whoever steps into the role faces an immediate test this coming Friday, when Udinese travels to face Venezia, the current bottom-placed team in the Serie A standings.
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