Serie A: Lecce 0-1 Udinese – Nobody pleased with Lucca’s winner – Football Italia – February 21 latest

LECCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Lorenzo Lucca of Udinese scores a penalty during the Serie A match between Lecce and Udinese at Stadio Via del Mare on February 21, 2025 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Udinese picked up their third win in four Serie A matches with a 1-0 victory away against Lecce on Friday night, but both sets of players and Kosta Runjaic were not best pleased with the way Lorenzo Lucca converted the winner.

Both teams were coming in off the back of three-game unbeaten runs. Marco Giampaolo made just one change to his Lecce side following last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Monza, while Kosta Runjaic made two alterations after a 3-0 win over Empoli. 

Click here to read more about how the teams lined up.

Udinese were awarded a penalty for a foul just after the half-hour mark. Florian Thauvin, who was wearing the captain’s armband, was the designated taker, but Lucca stepped up, grabbed the ball and refused to let any of his teammates take it away from him. 

This drew an angry reaction from several of his teammates, including Alexis Sanchez, Oumar Solet and Jaka Bijol. The latter, at one point, tried to push his teammate away from the penalty spot. The Lecce players were also infuriated given how long it took for the penalty to be taken. 

In the end, it was Lucca who took the penalty, and converted well, into the top left corner of Wladimiro Falcone’s net. 

Incredibly, Runjaic decided to take Lucca off immediately afterwards, replacing him with Iker Bravo in the 36th minute. 

Lecce were left annoyed in the second half when the referees decided not to send off Martin Payero after a collision with Gaby Jean. 

The Argentine was already on a booking, and initially appeared to hit Jean with his boot raised, but replays showed that he just about made contact with the ball before the player, and so a second yellow was not shown. 

Payero came close to troubling Falcone with a swerving, dipping effort from long range with a few minutes remaining, but his audacious effort whistled just high of the crossbar. 

Lecce were not able to cause too many issues for Udinese, finishing the game with just one shot on target. 

Udinese have now won three of their last four matches in Serie A, and currently sit one point behind Roma before the rest of this weekend’s Serie A fixtures. 

Lecce 0-1 Udinese 

Lucca 32’. 

30

25

6

12

89′

19

75

72′

8

46′

29

9

50

46′

7

82′

90

11

29

28

31

77′

25

32

77′

8

77′

7

65′

10

17

36′

23

32

99

1

20

4

77

44

37

46′

5

46′

3

72′

10

82′

17

89′

93

66

20

33

27

9

30

77

21

36′

5

65′

19

77′

6

77′

14

77′