title: 2011–12 Udinese Calcio season
text: # 2011–12 Udinese Calcio season
  
  The 2011–12 season was Udinese Calcio's 17th consecutive and 32nd Serie A season. The club had a successful league season, finishing third in Serie A, but disappointed in the three cup competitions in which it competed. Udinese were eliminated from the Coppa Italia in the round of 16, and also experienced disappointment in the UEFA Champions League, where it was eliminated in the play-off round and thus failed to make its first appearance in the group stage since the 2005–06 season. As a result, Udinese dropped down to the UEFA Europa League, where it successfully advanced from both the group stage and the round of 32, only to be eliminated in the round of 16. Club captain and legend Antonio Di Natale was once again the team's top scorer, with 23 goals in Serie A and 29 in total.
  
  ## Season review
  
  ### Serie A
  
  Udinese were unbeaten in their first seven Serie A games, and only conceded one goal in that period, which was the best defensive record in top European leagues at the time. They were also top of Serie A at the moment, and compared to much more expensive squad of Manchester City, which also top Premier League at the same time.
  
  ### Europe
  
  Udinese were drawn against English side Arsenal for qualification into the UEFA Champions League. The first leg was played away at the Emirates Stadium, which resulted in a 1–0 defeat. The second leg was a heavily contested match, with Udinese taking a 1–0 lead at half-time to level the aggregate score to 1–1 but Arsenal caught up in the second half and Udinese lost 2–1, and 3–1 on aggregate. Udinese were then drawn into the Europa League.
  
  ## Players
  
  ### Squad information
  
  Updated 31 August 2011
  
  Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
  
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | GK | SVN | Samir Handanović |
  | 3 | MF | CHI | Mauricio Isla |
  | 5 | DF | BRA | Danilo |
  | 6 | GK | ITA | Emanuele Belardi |
  | 7 | MF | GHA | Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu |
  | 8 | MF | SRB | Dušan Basta |
  | 9 | FW | BRA | Barreto |
  | 10 | FW | ITA | Antonio Di Natale (captain) |
  | 11 | DF | ITA | Maurizio Domizzi |
  | 13 | DF | BRA | Neuton |
  | 16 | DF | ITA | Andrea Coda |
  | 17 | DF | MAR | Medhi Benatia |
  | 20 | MF | GHA | Kwadwo Asamoah |
  | 21 | GK | ITA | Daniele Padelli (on loan from Sampdoria) |
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | 22 | MF | FRA | Abdoul Sissoko |
  | 23 | MF | SUI | Almen Abdi |
  | 24 | DF | SWE | Joel Ekstrand |
  | 25 | MF | ROU | Gabriel Torje |
  | 26 | DF | ITA | Giovanni Pasquale |
  | 27 | DF | COL | Pablo Armero |
  | 28 | GK | VEN | Rafael Romo |
  | 30 | MF | CIV | Thierry Doubai (left in January) |
  | 31 | FW | ITA | Diego Fabbrini |
  | 32 | DF | ITA | Damiano Ferronetti |
  | 37 | MF | ARG | Roberto Pereyra |
  | 66 | MF | ITA | Giampiero Pinzi |
  | 83 | FW | ITA | Antonio Floro Flores |
  | 92 | FW | CZE | Matěj Vydra (loan return c. January 2012) |
  
  **Reserve squad**
  
  The following reserve players received first team shirt number:
  
  Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
  
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 18 | MF | ITA | Cristian Battocchio |
  
  ### UEFA Champions League squad
  
  Updated 8 August 2011
  
      The squad consist of a maximum of 17 foreigners, and a minimum of 8 local trained players (must be a minimum of 4 club trained)
  
  Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
  
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | GK | SVN | Samir Handanović |
  | 3 | MF | CHI | Mauricio Isla |
  | 5 | DF | BRA | Danilo |
  | 6 | GK | ITA | Emanuele Belardi |
  | 7 | MF | GHA | Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu |
  | 8 | MF | SRB | Dušan Basta |
  | 10 | FW | ITA | Antonio Di Natale (captain) |
  | 13 | DF | BRA | Neuton |
  | 14 | DF | ITA | Daniel Bello (List A club product) |
  | 17 | DF | MAR | Medhi Benatia |
  | 19 | FW | ARG | Germán Denis |
  | 20 | MF | GHA | Kwadwo Asamoah |
  | 21 | FW | CZE | Matěj Vydra (*) |
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | 23 | MF | SUI | Almen Abdi |
  | 24 | DF | SWE | Joel Ekstrand |
  | 26 | DF | ITA | Giovanni Pasquale |
  | 27 | DF | COL | Pablo Armero |
  | 28 | GK | VEN | Rafael Romo |
  | 30 | MF | CIV | Thierry Doubai |
  | 31 | FW | ITA | Diego Fabbrini |
  | 41 | DF | ITA | Simone Sbardella (List A club product) |
  | 42 | MF | ITA | Mattia Bedin (List A club product) |
  | 43 | FW | ITA | Davide Marsura (List A club product) |
  | 66 | MF | ITA | Giampiero Pinzi |
  | 83 | FW | ITA | Antonio Floro Flores |
  
  * Note: Matěj Vydra replaced injured Maurizio Domizzi after the deadline
  
  **List B**
  
  Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
  
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 18 | MF | ITA | Cristian Battocchio |
  | 44 | GK | ROU | Alin Bucuroiu |
  | 45 | DF | ITA | Simone Deana |
  | 46 | MF | ITA | Gianluca Migliorini |
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | 47 | DF | ITA | Davide Nicoletti |
  | 48 | MF | ITA | Luca Baldassin |
  | 49 | DF | ITA | Luca Corrado |
  | 50 | MF | ITA | Marco Piscopo |
  
  ### UEFA Europa League squad
  
  Updated 1 February 2012
  
  Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
  
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | GK | SVN | Samir Handanović |
  | 3 | MF | CHI | Mauricio Isla |
  | 4 | MF | ITA | Michele Pazienza (*) |
  | 5 | DF | BRA | Danilo |
  | 7 | MF | GHA | Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu |
  | 8 | MF | SRB | Dušan Basta |
  | 9 | FW | BRA | Barreto (**) |
  | 10 | FW | ITA | Antonio Di Natale (captain) |
  | 11 | DF | ITA | Maurizio Domizzi |
  | 13 | DF | BRA | Neuton |
  | 14 | DF | ITA | Daniel Bello (List A club product) |
  | 17 | DF | MAR | Medhi Benatia |
  | 20 | MF | GHA | Kwadwo Asamoah |
  | 21 | GK | ITA | Daniele Padelli (on loan from Sampdoria) |
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | 23 | MF | SUI | Almen Abdi |
  | 24 | DF | SWE | Joel Ekstrand |
  | 26 | DF | ITA | Giovanni Pasquale (*) |
  | 27 | DF | COL | Pablo Armero |
  | 28 | GK | VEN | Rafael Romo |
  | 30 | MF | CIV | Thierry Doubai (**) |
  | 31 | FW | ITA | Diego Fabbrini |
  | 32 | DF | ITA | Damiano Ferronetti (*) |
  | 37 | MF | ARG | Roberto Pereyra (**) |
  | 41 | DF | ITA | Simone Sbardella (List A club product) |
  | 42 | MF | ITA | Mattia Bedin (List A club product) |
  | 43 | FW | ITA | Davide Marsura (List A club product) |
  | 66 | MF | ITA | Giampiero Pinzi |
  | 83 | FW | ITA | Antonio Floro Flores |
  
  * Note:
  
  Players marked * indicated that they were inserted the squad in January 2012 Players marked ** indicated that they left the squad in January 2012
  
  **List B**
  
  Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
  
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 18 | MF | ITA | Cristian Battocchio |
  | 45 | DF | ITA | Simone Deana |
  | 46 | MF | ITA | Gianluca Migliorini |
  | 48 | MF | ITA | Luca Baldassin |
  | No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
  | 49 | DF | ITA | Luca Corrado |
  | 50 | MF | ITA | Marco Piscopo |
  | 51 | MF | ITA | Riccardo Dimitrio |
  
  ## Transfers
  
  ### Summer 2011
  
  **In**
  
  | Player | Position | Old Club | Details |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Neuton | Defender | Grêmio | €3 million |
  | Željko Brkić | Goalkeeper | Vojvodina | €1.5 million |
  | Abdoul Sissoko | Midfielder | Troyes | €1.5 million |
  | Thierry Doubai | Midfielder | Young Boys | €2.5 million |
  | Barreto | Forward | Bari | €3.5 million |
  | Diego Fabbrini | Midfielder | Empoli | Co-ownership termination |
  | Danilo | Defender | Palmeiras | €2 million |
  | Gabriel Torje | Midfielder | Dinamo București | Undisclosed |
  | Roberto Pereyra | Defender | River Plate | Undisclosed |
  
  Total spending: €14 million
  
  **Out**
  
  | Player | Position | New Club | Details |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Simone Pepe | Forward | Juventus | €7.5 million |
  | Marco Motta | Defender | Juventus | €3.75 million |
  | Alexis Sánchez | Forward | Barcelona | €26 million |
  | Gökhan Inler | Midfielder | Napoli | €13 million |
  | Cristián Zapata | Defender | Villarreal | €14 million |
  | Gaetano D'Agostino | Midfielder | Siena | co-ownership €2.5 million |
  | Juan Cuadrado | Defender | Lecce | loan |
  | Fabián Orellana | Defender | Granada | undisclosed |
  | Christian Obodo | Midfielder | Lecce | loan |
  | Germán Denis | Forward | Atalanta | loan |
  
  Total sale: €64.25 million
  
  ## Pre-season and friendlies
  
  | Competition | Date | Opponent team | H/A | Result | Scorers |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Friendly | 14 July 2011 | Anagenissi Arta/U.S. Cedarchis | N | 18-1 | 4' Asamoah, 8' Abdi, 11' Vydra, 12' Fabbrini, 14' Abdi, 17' Battocchio, 21' Vydra, 26' (o.g.) Nieddu, 47' Surraco, 51' Vydra (pen.), 55' Fabbrini, 64' Pinzi, 66' Surraco, 73' Fabbrini, 74' Surraco, 75' Pinzi, 81' Vydra, 83' Doubai, 90' Cescutti M |
  | Friendly | 18 July 2011 | FVG Selected Team | N | 7–0 | 1' Fabbrini, 22' Di Natale (pen.), 27' Sissoko, 39' Danilo, 41' Fabbrini, 51' Floro Flores, 79' Candreva |
  | Friendly | 21 July 2011 | Bordeaux | N | 3–1 | 37' Di Natale, 65' Doubai, 85' Vydra |
  | Friendly | 24 July 2011 | Marseille | N | 2–0 | 32' Fabbrini, 69' Di Natale |
  | Friendly | 25 July 2011 | Sacilese | N | 5–1 | 12' Floro Flores, 39' Pinzi, 50' Denis, 81' Denis, 85' Denis |
  | Friendly | 1 Aug 2011 | Nice | A | 0–1 | |
  | Friendly | 5 Aug 2011 | Cádiz | A | 0–0 | |
  
  ## Competitions
  
  ### Serie A
  
  **League table**
  
  | Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Juventus (C) | 38 | 23 | 15 | 0 | 68 | 20 | +48 | 84 | Qualification to Champions League group stage |
  | 2 | Milan | 38 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 74 | 33 | +41 | 80 | Qualification to Champions League group stage |
  | 3 | Udinese | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 52 | 35 | +17 | 64 | Qualification to Champions League play-off round |
  | 4 | Lazio | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 56 | 47 | +9 | 62 | Qualification to Europa League play-off round |
  | 5 | Napoli | 38 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 66 | 46 | +20 | 61 | Qualification to Europa League group stage |
  
  * ↑ Napoli qualified to the group stage of the Europa League as winner of the 2011–12 Coppa Italia. As they finished fifth, the sixth-placed team of the league also qualified for the Europa League.
  
  **Results summary**
  
  | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  
  Last updated: 13 May 2012. Source: Competitive matches
  
  **Results by round**
  
  | Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Ground | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
  | Result | D | W | W | D | D | W | D | W | L | W | W | L | W | W | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | L | D | W | D | L | D | D | L | W | L | L | D | W | W | W | W |
  | Position | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
  
  ### UEFA Europa League
  
  **Group stage**
  
  | Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Atlético Madrid | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 13 | Advance to knockout phase |
  | 2 | Udinese | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 9 | Advance to knockout phase |
  | 3 | Celtic | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 6 | |
  | 4 | Rennes | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 3 | |
  
  ## Statistics
  
  ### Appearances and goals
  
  | No. | Pos. | Player | Serie A | Serie A | Serie A | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Coppa Italia | Coppa Italia | Coppa Italia | Champions League | Champions League | Champions League | Champions League | Europa League | Europa League | Europa League | Europa League | Total | Total | Total | Total |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | No. | Pos. | Player | App. | | | | App. | | | | App. | | | | App. | | | | App.(Start) | | | |
  | 1 | GK | Samir Handanović | 38 | -35 | 3 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -10 | 0 | 0 | 51(51) | -50 | 3 | 0 |
  | 3 | MF | Mauricio Isla | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28(25) | 3 | 3 | 0 |
  | 4 | MF | Michele Pazienza | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | | | | | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28(18) | 1 | 6 | 0 |
  | 5 | DF | Danilo | 37 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 49(49) | 2 | 9 | 0 |
  | 7 | MF | Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | | | | | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18(14) | 0 | 4 | 0 |
  | 8 | MF | Dušan Basta | 31 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39(35) | 5 | 2 | 0 |
  | 9 | FW | Barreto | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
  | 10 | FW | Antonio Di Natale | 36 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 43(41) | 29 | 2 | 0 |
  | 11 | DF | Maurizio Domizzi | 31 | 1 | 7 | 0 | | | | | | | | | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 38(36) | 2 | 9 | 0 |
  | 13 | DF | Neuton | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9(6) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
  | 16 | DF | Andrea Coda | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7(6) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
  | 17 | DF | Mehdi Benatia | 27 | 1 | 9 | 0 | | | | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 38(37) | 2 | 11 | 0 |
  | 18 | MF | Cristian Battocchio | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  | 19 | FW | Germán Denis | | | | | | | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | 1(0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  | 20 | MF | Kwadwo Asamoah | 31 | 3 | 3 | 0 | | | | | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40(38) | 3 | 3 | 0 |
  | 23 | MF | Almen Abdi | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33(16) | 1 | 3 | 0 |
  | 24 | DF | Joel Ekstrand | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19(13) | 0 | 7 | 0 |
  | 25 | MF | Gabriel Torje | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | 22(12) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
  | 26 | DF | Giovanni Pasquale | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27(17) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
  | 27 | DF | Pablo Armero | 28 | 0 | 7 | 0 | | | | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39(35) | 1 | 9 | 0 |
  | 30 | MF | Thierry Doubai | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7(5) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
  | 31 | FW | Diego Fabbrini | 15 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 25(14) | 2 | 7 | 1 |
  | 32 | DF | Damiano Ferronetti | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19(14) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
  | 37 | MF | Roberto Pereyra | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15(11) | 1 | 3 | 0 |
  | 66 | MF | Giampiero Pinzi | 28 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 1 | | | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36(33) | 2 | 11 | 1 |
  | 83 | FW | Antonio Floro Flores | 26 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34(19) | 6 | 4 | 0 |
  | No. | Pos. | Player | App. | | | | App. | | | | App. | | | | App. | | | | App. | | | |
  | No. | Pos. | Player | Serie A | Serie A | Serie A | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Coppa Italia | Coppa Italia | Coppa Italia | Champions League | Champions League | Champions League | Champions League | Europa League | Europa League | Europa League | Europa League | Total | Total | Total | Total |
  
  Note: 1.^ Moved to Atalanta on-loan before Serie-A begins.
  
  