Ranieri: “Lazio are a great side so we’ll need to be perfect”

Claudio Ranieri has admitted that his Sampdoria side will need to be at their very best if they are to get the better of Lazio when the two sides meet in Rome on Saturday.

“We’ll need a perfect performance to take points off Lazio,” said the Doria boss on Thursday. “The reverse fixture doesn’t matter anymore – we know we’re going to be up against a great side. [Simone] Inzaghi is doing an incredible job and – despite a few absences – he has a top-quality squad to work with. From our perspective, we’re progressing well – we had to dig in to beat Fiorentina and we know we’ll have to fight for every ball on Saturday too.”

It promises to be an away trip to remember for the Blucerchiati, who have been granted an audience with the Pope in Vatican City on Friday.

“When the president informed me of the possibility of having an audience with the Pope, I said yes straight away,” said Ranieri.  “Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to meet one of the most important people in the world, not to mention the most important figure for Catholics like myself. I’m very pleased and I can’t wait to meet him.”