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Udinese goalkeeper Daniele Padelli has defended Nigerian international Maduka Okoye amid criticism over the club’s recent performances.
The Nigerian international has faced intense scrutiny after Udinese’s poor results this campaign, conceding 25 goals and keeping just one clean sheet in 11 appearances.
His disappointing performances have also reportedly contributed to his omission from the Super Eagles squad for the 2027 AFCON qualifying double-header against Tanzania.
Speaking on the TV 12 programme, Padelli rejected the criticism of the Super Eagles star, saying Okoye had been made a scapegoat when the team failed to achieve the expected results.
“In these situations, you look for a scapegoat. It’s happened to everyone, it happened to me too,” Padelli said, via Udinese’s official webpage.
Padelli noted that Filip Stankovic was arguably the most decisive goalkeeper in their match against Venezia, emphasising that the team’s struggles should not be blamed on individual players.
“Against Venezia, however, the most decisive goalkeeper for the result was Stankovic. We’re trying to build a team identity, not focus on individuals,” he added. “If they score, you struggle mentally, the spaces open up even more, and you struggle more and more.”
The Italian also said Udinese must focus on building a collective identity rather than placing responsibility on individuals. He noted that conceding goals can undermine the team’s confidence and create further defensive problems.
“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.”
