Ranieri warns Samp: “The atmosphere will be intense and it’ll be a big test”

It is back to league action tomorrow for Sampdoria, with a chance to immediately avenge Monday’s home defeat at the hands of Napoli when Ranieri’s charges face a Torino side led by newly appointed coach Moreno Longo, at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. Claudio Ranieri spoke about the managerial change during his pre-match press conference: “We could’ve done without them changing coach. They’re already reacting positively and they’ve opened the doors at the Filadelfia training ground to fans, so I’m sure the atmosphere will be intense tomorrow. I’m expecting a real battle against a determined side and we’ll have to match them in that department to produce a strong performance and pick up some points.”

New signings Antonio La Gumina and Maya Yoshida are gaining confidence in their new surroundings and familiarising themselves with the team’s tactics. “The new players are settling in well, but I don’t think they’re ready just yet,” explained Ranieri. “La Gumina already knows how difficult this league is and Yoshida is a very switched-on guy who won’t need long to understand our tactics.”

As for the formation, the switch from 4-4-2 to 4-3-1-2 during the Napoli game proved effective, with the Blucerchiati getting back into the game after falling 2-0 behind in the early stages. “The important thing is knowing how to change formation during a game. We used this system against Lecce and also Cagliari. Will we use it from the start? I’ll keep my options open, but there are situations where you have to be more daring.”