Udinese and Watford owner: Como ‘miraculous’, Lucca’s regression ‘impossible’
Udinese and Watford owner Giampaolo Pozzo says Como’s results this season are ‘miraculous’ and hopes Lorenzo Lucca will revive his career: ‘It’s impossible for such a young player to reverse his performances from one year to the next completely.’
Udinese and Watford owner Pozzo released an interview with GR Parlamento (via TMW) to explain his view on the future of both clubs.
Pozzo insisted that Udinese are not for sale, though the Bianconeri are looking for a financial partner to improve on-field results.
Pozzo: Udinese not for sale
“First of all, I want to clarify that we don’t want to sell; we want to make the club more European, just as Atalanta have done, to improve sporting results,” he said.
“We have a regional budget, and currently, the objective is a comfortable survival. We’ve always tried to strengthen the team, and if somebody wants to come to Udinese for a potential project, we are here under any condition. It’s hard to talk about figures, but the rumoured negotiation, which we might even have signed, regarded a possible sale for €300m. But we don’t want to sell, we’d like a partnership with some funds to improve on a sporting level.”
Udinese sit 11th in the Serie A table, with 39 points in 30 matches, which means they are practically safe with eight games to spare.
Their striker, Keinan Davis, who they signed from Aston Villa in 2023, has scored 10 goals and provided three assists in 26 appearances across all competitions.
“We paid him €3m; he’s a very good player, and he’s also very good in terms of his attitude towards the club,” Pozzo said.
“He’s had difficult moments, but if you pass him the ball, he knows how to handle it and how to score.”
Udinese once fought for European places in Serie A, while this season, Como are surprisingly battling for a Champions League spot, currently sitting fourth in Serie A.
“In truth, they are miraculous. Money is not enough; one must be capable too,” Pozzo said.
“They are doing incredible things. They are good at management and have made all the right choices, including signing the right players. I don’t know them personally, but they’ve invested the money well.”
Udinese sold Lorenzo Lucca to Napoli last summer, but the Italian striker failed to impress with the Partenopei in the first part of the season and hasn’t shown real improvement since joining Nottingham Forest on loan in January.
“He performed well here, but patience is needed because things don’t work well right away,” noted Pozzo.
“It’s impossible for such a young player to reverse his performances from one year to the next completely. He must surely return to be the footballer we’ve known, with character and able to score goals.”
Lastly, the Italian businessman talked about English Championship side Watford and their main target for this season.
“It’s a tough league; we are looking for young talent to develop, so we go ahead with patience. The target is to get promoted to the Premier League; let’s see if we’ll make it,” Pozzo concluded.