Ranieri: “We gave our all. I’m pleased with the lads”

Sampdoria went toe-to-toe with Italian champions Juventus on Sunday evening . Claudio Ranieri is convinced of just that, as he explained in his analysis of the unfortunate defeat in Turin. “We gave it our all, played well and had more efforts on goal. We were running and battling throughout. We came out of it with our heads held high.” The real achievement, however, has already been sealed. “When I took over, we were bottom. My positive outlook told me we’d be playing for our place in Serie A away to Brescia, but we ended up clinching safety with four games to go, which is incredible. This team is made up of wonderful guys. I’m pleased with the work they’ve put in. They’re truly fantastic professionals.”

With Serie A approaching its conclusion, the new season will soon be on its way. The coach also discussed what lies ahead. “As for my future, I want to stay here. After all, I have another year on my contract. We’ll talk about it and we’ll also discuss technical programmes. Samp are used to selling and reinvesting in new signings, so we’ll have to understand how much we might be able to raise by selling and how much we’ll be able to invest. It would be fantastic to start over with a team that needs rebuilding. I enjoy such challenges. If you coach a team like that, you feel pleased when you see them develop. I’m thinking of Tommaso Augello and Federico Bonazzoli, but not just them.”