Benetti: “The changes turned it around”

Here are the thoughts of Claudio Ranieri’s assistant coach Paolo Benetti on the 2-2 draw away to Torino: “I’m pleased with the good performance towards the end of the first half and for the majority of the second. We did bounce back and show what we’re made of. We deserved to get a draw against a good side, whose current points tally certainly doesn’t tell the full story.”

After a lacklustre first half, four half-time substitutions reinvigorated Samp after the interval. “We’re allowed to make that many changes and there’s no drama. They really turned things around for the team, which was Ranieri’s intention. Having said that, it’s not a negative mark against those who went off. To the contrary, it will be helpful going forward. We’ll see if this performance goes on to show that we’re back on track. We know we have to keep working hard, and we will.”

Having filled Ranieri’s boots for the second time in recent months after the clash with Udinese, Benetti did not want to be drawn on his unbeaten record: “I’m pleased, but life is much calmer as an assistant coach.”