Guidolin: Udinese deserve Serie A success

Francesco Guidolin believes Udinese ‘deserve’ to be at the top of the Serie A but claimed avoiding relegation was still their main aim.

The Udine-based side are unbeaten in the Italian top flight after seven rounds of matches and have picked up 15 points, one more than second-placed Lazio.

Last season, Guidolin guided Udinese to fourth spot in the league and given their impressive start to the 2011-12 campaign, they are likely to challenge for a Champions League place this term too.

However, the 56-year-old says that he first wants his players to reach the 40-point mark and fend off worries of battling relegation towards the end of the season.

“We deserve to be in the top position in the table,” Guidolin told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“But in our changing room, we have a big sign that says our season’s aim and that is to collect 40 points in order to defend our Serie A status.”

“After each game we update that sign but we never look at the standings and we certainly don’t have a reason yet to get excited.”

Udinese defeated Novara 3-0 at the Stadio Communale Friuli on Sunday and will be in Naples on Wednesday to take on Napoli.