Former Croatian international Igor Tudor oversaw his first training session yesterday after being appointed for a second spell as coach of Serie A strugglers Udinese.

Tudor returns to Udinese almost a year after he replaced Massimo Oddo, saving the club from relegation with two wins in the last four games of the 2017-2018 season. He becomes the club's third coach this season, replacing Davide Nicola, sacked on Wednesday after four months, with the club losing their last two games to Serie A leaders Juventus (4-1) and second-placed Napoli (4-2).

Spaniard Julia Velazquez had been dismissed after five months.Udinese have just two wins in 2019 and six this year and are in 16th place just one point above the drop zone. Capped 55 times by Croatia, the former defender spent nine years with Juventus from 1998 to 2007. He has coached clubs including Hajduk Split, PAOK and Galatasaray. His first game in charge of the side from north eastern Italy will come at home to Genoa on March 30.