Padelli defends Okoye as Udinese’s woes deepen amid a bleak season

Udinese’s goalkeeper Daniele Padelli has stepped in to defend teammate Maduka Okoye as the Nigerian international endures mounting criticism during the club’s difficult season.

Okoye has conceded 25 goals and kept only one clean sheet in the current campaign for the Zebras.

Padelli argues that Okoye is being unfairly singled out and that individual players should not bear the blame for collective shortcomings.

He told TV 12, “In these situations, you look for a scapegoat. It’s happened to everyone, it happened to me too. Against Venezia, however, the most decisive goalkeeper for the result was Stankovic.”

He said, “We’re trying to build a team identity, not focus on individuals. If they score, you struggle mentally, the spaces open up even more, and you struggle more and more.”

He warned that the side is in a moment of mental fragility and needs a breath of fresh air, noting that “we’re not doing everything poorly; we’ve created some things, but the ball is now very important. If the team isn’t playing well, even the individuals struggle.”