Gueye’s assist seals Udinese’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia pre-season title
In a 45-minute clash, Udinese secured the inaugural Friuli-Venezia Giulia pre-season tournament with a 1-0 victory over FC Barcelona, set up by a decisive assist from Senegal international Idrissa Gueye.
The three-team event in Italy saw Udinese finish top of the mini-league ahead of Nottingham Forest and FC Barcelona. Each match lasted only 45 minutes, shortening the usual pre-season schedule into compact, high-intensity fixtures.
Gueye, the Senegalese midfielder, provided the key pass that created Udinese’s only goal against Barcelona. The result marked the club’s first pre-season silverware of the summer window.
Udinese’s triumph came after they outperformed both Nottingham Forest and FC Barcelona over the two-match sequence. The Italian side’s consistency across the short format proved decisive in the standings.
The tournament’s brevity meant every minute counted, with no room for error in a format designed to test squad depth and fitness. Udinese navigated the condensed schedule without dropping points.
FC Barcelona, despite the loss, remained a strong presence in the competition, finishing third behind Udinese and Nottingham Forest. The Spanish club’s involvement underlined the prestige of the invitational event.
Nottingham Forest, the third participant, completed the standings but could not match Udinese’s sharpness in either match. Their campaign ended without a win in the two games played.
The Friuli-Venezia Giulia tournament offered clubs a platform to integrate new signings and evaluate fringe players under match conditions. Udinese’s victory highlighted their pre-season preparation.
Idrissa Gueye’s contribution extended beyond the assist, with the Senegal international featuring prominently in midfield throughout the short-format games. His experience added stability to Udinese’s young setup.
The event concluded with Udinese lifting the trophy, capping a successful pre-season that included a competitive edge absent in closed-door friendlies.