The team's performance in the first half of the league season was less than satisfactory, but after half a season of adjustments, Udinese suddenly had a major breakout after the winter break. In this year's 12 rounds of Serie A matches, Udinese remained undefeated with 9 wins and 3 draws. Among these, they defeated Inter Milan at home, drew with AC Milan away, and even achieved the remarkable feat of a 7-0 thrashing of Palermo. Nicknamed "Little Zhuge," the 55-year-old Guidolin has been coaching in Italian football for over 20 years, having coached 13 different Serie A teams, making him a seasoned veteran of the league. Although he hasn't coached any top-tier strong teams, Guidolin's coaching ability is still recognized in Italy. Additionally, Guidolin is very skilled at discovering and nurturing young talent; Montella and Grosso, among others, were developed under his guidance.
Thanks to their excellent performance after the winter break, Udinese has now climbed to fourth place in the Serie A standings. If they can maintain their current form, they have a good chance of securing a Champions League spot for next season. Beyond their impressive results, Coach Guidolin has fully unlocked the potential of Udinese players. Sapata, Inler, Isla, Asamoah, and others have caught the attention of European powerhouse clubs, while the valuation of Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez has reached as high as 30 million euros. To ensure the entire team can focus on the final 9 rounds of the league and to continue retaining Guidolin, Udinese decided to offer their meritorious coach a long-term contract extension.
Last summer, Udinese invited Guidolin to coach them, marking his second time leading the club. He had also coached them during the 1998-99 season.