Udine bets on Alaba: veteran takes leadership role in Serie A

The 34‑year‑old Austrian national team star David Alaba was officially presented at Udinese Calcio on Tuesday. The Austrian centre‑back, who was out of contract after five years at Real Madrid, signed a one‑year deal and will wear the number five shirt. Udine currently sits in 13th place in the Italian Serie A.

Experienced defender from Madrid

Alaba arrives at Udinese as an experienced centre‑back and defensive leader. With 117 caps for the Austrian national football team, he brings international experience to the defence. The club also describes him as a “big brother”, a mentor for the young talents in Friuli.

Club chief expects difference

Club chief Franco Collavino stressed that Alaba is not coming to celebrate his past, but to be part of the present. “He possesses great qualities, and we expect him to make the difference, help us win and pass on his winning mentality to the many talents,” Collavino said.

Alaba himself explained that he had taken the necessary time to make the decision. “With each day I became more convinced that Udine is the right place for this moment. Physically I feel very good and I am ready to play,” he said, adding that he was already in training last week.

Technical director sees leadership role

Technical director Gian Luca Nani expressed pride in having signed a player of Alaba’s calibre. “David adds shine to our project. It is hard to find a player with a track record like his,” Nani explained, stressing that Alaba should take on the role of the “big brother.”

Former teammate Franck Ribery advised Alaba to come to northern Italy. “Serie A has always fascinated me and is certainly one of the reasons I decided to come to Udine,” Ribery said. Austrian national team coach Ralf Rangnick also backed the choice and said that Alaba should focus on Udinese.

After three consecutive defeats, Udine sits in 13th place in Serie A with four points from five games. On Monday, 12 October, the team travels to Turin, followed by matches against Lecce and AC Milan. The hope is that Alaba’s experience will guide the side out of the crisis.