Cioffi’s blanket is short in midfield: Molina’s return and the others on the pitch at Bentegodi

With Pereyra still out and Arslan disqualified, Walace will play the midfielder role not ideal for him

UDINE. Covered in defense, counted in the middle and rich in attack. This is how Udinese appeared yesterday at the end of training, the penultimate before today’s refinement which should confirm what Gabriele Cioffi assessed during the week and decided yesterday. To try to understand how Udinese will face tomorrow’s Triveneto derby with Verona, at the Bentegodi, we just have to enter into the merits of the technical assessments, starting with the defense, where Pablo Marì is preparing to reconfirm after his convincing debut with Taurus. It is true, everyone expected the former Arsenal on the left, but the physical problems of a Nuytinck now recovered, but announced still on the bench, have projected the Spanish expert on the bridge, where Cioffi has tested him for the whole week and where we should therefore find it again tomorrow. Inevitably, this choice opened the unprecedented ballot on the left, given that a race for the not trivial place was born between Marvin Zeegelaar and Nehuen Perez, with the Dutch favorite not only for the left foot to be used in the most suitable area, but above all for the flawless performance he had with the Bull.

So why change? Here, that’s exactly what Cioffi has been wondering for days, aware as it is that the problems to be solved are elsewhere. Because without the suspended Tolgay Arslan, in fact, it is the median to cause concern. Okay, Jajalo is growing in condition and confidence, from him he also has the necessary experience to keep the bar on the starboard even in the face of the presumable Scaligero pressing, but on the center right, in the role of mid-winger who to employ ? Cioffi’s first choice is Walace, not really a “quick footer”, but undoubtedly more balancing and containing than Lazar Samardzic. The fact that Roberto Pereyra will find a place among the squad, with probable bench, says a lot about the “short blanket” in the median, where Jean Makengo is certain of an interior position, on the center left, together with Molina and Udogie on the flanks. All that remains is to examine the choices in attack, where everyone is pawing, starting with Gerard Deulofeu, eagerly announced after the disqualification. On the tandem, together with the Catalan, Beto is ready to climb it, with Success and Pussetto ready for the relay.