Guidolin looks ahead after European heartbreak

Udinese’s Francesco Guidolin has spoken of his disappointment at losing in the Champions League playoffs for the second consecutive year.

After bowing out against Arsenal last season, Udinese again failed to make the group stages this year, losing to Portuguese club Braga on penalties.

After losing a host of top talent in the last 18 months, Guidolin knows he will find it difficult to have another opportunity to guide the club through to the latter stages of Europe’s elite competition.

For now, Udinese most re-focus their efforts on a match at home to reigning Serie A champions Juventus on Sunday.

“We need to look ahead now, because that’s how life goes and that’s how sport goes,” Guidolin said.

“We need to focus on tomorrow’s game and give all that we have with great determination and with all the qualities a team should have when facing the team that won the league last season … and that are the favourite to win this season.

“We need to do our best also because we will have a very difficult season ahead of us, so we need to try to gain as many points as we can to avoid the relegations zone, that’s our first aim.”

Reports emerged last week claiming Guidolin would walk out on the club after the disappointment of their failure against Braga.

But the coach restated his determination to stay and improve on the efforts of predecessors Luciano Spalletti and Sense Cosmi, who took Udinese to the Champions League group stages.

“I love this team and my aim, or rather my dream, was to be the first manager to participate to the Champions League (knock-outs) with Udinese – because Spalletti and Cosmi accompanied Udinese to the group stage,” he said.

“To be the first one to accompany the team to the various (stages of the) Champions League would have been something extraordinary because at this point of my career and at my age history counts more than career, glory counts more than money.”

“I’m married to this team and this family and it’s not true I was snubbed by top teams, I had the chance to go if I wanted but I didn’t want (to) because I’m married to this team.

“I want to stay here, and being ambitious I really would have liked to be the one who accompanied Udinese to make history.”