Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar has paid tribute to Sampdoria coach Marco Giampaolo.

Skriniar played for Giampaolo during his previous time in charge of Samp.

He said, "I thanked Marco Giampaolo because he stood by me even after I made early mistakes, getting red cards and giving away penalties, because he saw something in me that the others didn't. He made me better by focusing on the right position, seeing my teammates and the ball.

“The three-man defence was something new for me when I started working with (Antoni) Conte.

"I struggled at first and had certain limitations, but he and his staff helped me improve. It's positive that I am now accustomed to three at club level and four with Slovakia."