On loan Italian defender Andrea Ranocchia has described Hull City’s next two ties against Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur as being like two Champions League Finals for the club.
With safety the aim after recent slip ups and seeing Swansea City edge ahead of us by a point in the table and out of the relegation spots, Ranocchia told the Official Site as he met with the media that everyone knew it would be two huge games for us now.
‘We`ve got two games to play and they are the equivalent of two Champions League finals. They`re not normal matches. They are matches of huge importance and we have to look to take six points and work as hard as we possibly can to make that happen. We have to find a positive reaction to last weekend`s defeat. We have worked hard in training throughout the week and we will be working as hard as we possibly can to get the result we want and need at Palace on Sunday.’
The Inter Milan loanee went on to say.
‘We have to go there and win – it`s as simple as that. It`s a big game this weekend. Crystal Palace also need a result themselves, but we have to go there and show that we want it more than they do. We have given ourselves a difficult path to go down for the last two games of the season but we still believe and we will be giving everything we have got.’
Having arrived in January, Ranocchia has formed an effective partnership with Harry Maguire in the heart of defence and with them both more than playing their part in the turn of results that gave us hope of avoiding the drop, he’s pleased to have played his part and at least kept the club in with the chance of staying in the Premier League with two games remaining.
‘The partnership at the back with Harry Maguire has worked well and one can usually cover the other if needs be. Hopefully that can continue for the next two games. I have enjoyed the Premier League and I have enjoyed being a part of this team, but I want it to be memorable at the end of the season for helping this team to stay in the Premier League.’
