Ranieri: “The team showed me the quality, conviction and determination I wanted”

Claudio Ranieri was a happy man as he spoke to the media following Sampdoria’s 1-0 win over Salernitana at Marassi on Tuesday afternoon, a result that sees the Blucerchiati advance to the Coppa Italia Fourth Round.

“I wanted to see quality, conviction and determination and they all delivered,” said Ranieri, speaking after the final whistle. “These players deserved to play on account of the way they train during the week. We were up against a side that required us to seize the initiative. We created lots of chances and got a goal on the counter, which is Salernitana’s biggest strength.”

Ranieri’s thoughts then inevitably turned to Sunday night’s derby clash against city rivals Genoa.

“We have plenty of time to prepare for the game,” said Ranieri, dismissing suggestions his team could struggle to turn themselves around for the match. “The derby is a great leveller. I’ll need the whole squad to be ready. [Keita] Balde played well today – it’s important for him to get some minutes in his legs. [Adrien] Silva has great vision in midfield, but we’ll have to see how his ankle is.”