Rome (AFP) - The Italian club Udinese announced, on Monday, the dismissal of its German coach, Kosta Ronjajic, from his position, and the appointment of his compatriot Paolo Zanetti as his successor until the end of the season, after a series of negative results in the Italian Football League.

Published on: 02/11/2026 - 22:49

The dismissal decision came after a decline in the team’s results, which lost seven of its last eight matches in the league, falling to the relegation positions, after finishing the past two seasons in the middle of the standings.

The heavy loss to Roma 2-5 at home, over the weekend, was the final blow to the coach, who paid the price for the team's decline in performance since the start of the season.

The club said in a statement: “The two parties parted ways after more than two years that witnessed the achievement of important goals.”

Udinese quickly appointed Zanetti, the former coach of Venezia, Empoli and Hellas Verona, in an attempt to regain his balance and get out of the danger zone.

Udinese occupies nineteenth place with only five points after ten rounds, making Roniajic the fifth coach to leave his position in the Italian League this season, after Fabio Grosso with Fiorentina, the Italian-German Domenico Tedesco with Bologna, the Spanish Carlos Cuesta with Parma, and Davide Nicola with Venezia.

© 2026 AFP

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