Udinese coach backs Okoye after early red card in heavy Fiorentina loss
Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaic has supported goalkeeper Maduka Okoye after his early dismissal in the 5-1 defeat to Fiorentina on December 22, 2025. Okoye was sent off within eight minutes for a reckless challenge, leaving Udinese with ten men for most of the match. Despite the setback, Runjaic refused to blame Okoye alone, expressing disappointment in the team's overall response. The loss continues Udinese's inconsistent run in Serie A this season.
Match highlights
- Maduka Okoye was shown a straight red card in the opening minutes after a challenge on Moise Kean on December 22, 2025.
- Udinese struggled after going down to ten men, eventually losing 5-1 to Fiorentina.
- The defeat denied Udinese the chance to secure back-to-back league wins for just the second time this season.
- Kosta Runjaic defended Okoye, saying mistakes happen and the team could have reacted better.
- Okoye is likely to be suspended for up to three matches, missing key fixtures against Lazio, Como, and Torino.
