Empoli coach Marco Giampaolo expressed his relief following a tough 2-1 victory over Udinese at the Stadio Friuli on Saturday evening.
The Azzurri trailed for most of the match but late goals from Leandro Paredes and Massimo Maccarone turned the result in Empoli’s favour after Panagiotis Kone was sent off for the hosts.
“It was a hard victory over a team that is so strong in the tackle,” said the 48-year-old to Radio Lady.
“We have suffered due to [Udinese’s] physicality. They stifled our fluidity and limited the number of chances we created.
“But once we had the numerical advantage, we improved and believed we could claim the victory.”
The result sees Empoli claim their first win of 2015-16 while Udinese have lost three matches in a row after their victory over Juventus in the opening round of the season.
