La Gazzetta say that former Juventus boss Ranieri will be in “paradise” today and describe his first title triumph as a “planetary achievement”.
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In the second tier two years ago, in a relegation fight last season, a 5,000-1 long shot last summer, Leicester is now alongside Manchester United, Liverpool and the other clubs who can call themselves champion.
The Foxes were crowned Premier League champions on Monday, when nearest rivals Tottenham drew 2-2 at Chelsea.
“This year I got married and had a baby, but this tops it all”, said Steve Robinson, 26.
With an insurmountable seven-point lead over Tottenham with two games remaining, Leicester is champion of England for the first time in its 132-year history.
Tottenham are the first team in Premier League history to have nine players booked in one game.
“I want to win”. They had four wins from 27 games, were 10 points from safety and were staring firmly down the barrel at Championship football.
Leicester’s previous best season in the English top flight was a second-place finish in 1929 and their last piece of silverware had been the 2000 League Cup.
Leicester’s unlikely journey from no-hopers to English champions has captivated sports fans worldwide, nowhere more so than in Thailand, home of the club’s owners King Power. Shearer, who won the Premier League in 1995 with underdogs Blackburn, told BBC Sport: “For a team like Leicester to come and take the giants on with their wealth and experience – not only take them on but to beat them – I think it’s the biggest thing to happen in football”.
Leicester’s players had converged on their talismanic striker Jamie Vardy’s house to watch the Chelsea-Tottenham match together.
Centre half Gary Cahill pulled a goal back for Chelsea early in the second half, and with Tottenham clinging on, the equalizing goal was scored by Eden Hazard.
“The boys were standing on furniture”, captain Wes Morgan said as he arrived at Leicester’s training.
This means that if Manchester City win the Champions League, Pep Guardiola’s new side would be directly placed into Pot One of the group stage draw, alongside the victor of the Premier League.
“Congratulations to Leicester on what they achieved”.
The genial Italian will get his hands on the first league title of his 30-year managerial career on Saturday after Leicester’s final home game against Everton.
Ranieri already has one eye on next season.
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“(Ranieri said) five times “Thanks”, because of the emotion”, Hiddink said.
