Juventus manager Igor Tudor was pleased with his team’s performance following the important 2-0 victory over Udinese.
The Turin-based giants hosted the Friulians on their final home fixture of the campaign. While the visitors have little to play for at this stage of the season as they currently lie in mid-table, winning was crucial for the hosts to maintain the lead in the race for the fourth Champions League spot, especially with Roma beating Milan at the Stadio Olimpico.
Tudor’s men dominated the action from the get-go, but were wasteful in the first half. Nico Gonzalez struck the post on one occasion, while Randal Kolo Muani was guilty of wasting a one-on-one with the Udinese goalkeeper.
Nevertheless, the Zebrette’s resistance ended in the second period when Gonzalez scored from a play he instigated himself, while Dusan Vlahovic put some daylight between the two sides after coming off the bench, taking advantage of Kenan Yildiz’s second assist of the night.
Juventus secure vital win over Udinese
After the contest, Tudor insisted he was happy with the performance of every single Juventus player.
“It was a nice game and we deserved to win. It was prepared in the best way. It’s never easy to play Udinese, so I congratulate the boys,” said Tudor in his post-match interview with DAZN via Football Italia.
“We miss the last step. We must recover for the Venezia game and play these final 90 minutes.”
“We were focused on what we had to do. It was not about motivation but about the playing style, set pieces, preventive markings, and trying to release the pressure that the team felt.
“It was a serious performance; there wasn’t a player I didn’t like. It was truly a great game. Udinese are a serious and well-trained team.”
Tudor hails Vlahovic’s impact
The Croatian is a big fan of Vlahovic whom many suspect played his last home outing as a Juventus player ahead of an inevitable summer transfer.
Tudor insisted that the Serbian striker performed admirably and dedicated himself to the cause.
“He is a strong player. You know how strikers are. If they don’t score for two games, there are questions all over.
“He had a great impact, played with heart, and proved his value. He sacrificed for the team and played a good game.”
Juventus need an away victory against Venezia on the final day of the season to confirm their Champions League berth.
