Spalletti: Dzeko will start against Udinese

“I'm going to play him from the start because everything has been set up nicely for me with what's been said and written in the last few days,” the Giallorossi manager revealed in his news conference on Saturday.

The centre forward had come in for criticism following the Champions League game against Real Madrid but Spalletti is convinced that will only motivate him to come back even stronger.

“From my point of view it's an easy choice to make. Having observed him, I expect him to come up to me and beg for another starting spot. He can't be anything but incredibly motivated – I have you guys to thank for that with what you've written about him. I don't need to add anything at all.”

Dzeko's last Serie A start came in the home win against Palermo and he played the full 90 minutes at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

“I can make his day by handing him a starting berth and I'm sure that with the ability Edin has he'll be able to respond to what's happened. All I have to do his hand him the shirt.”