“It is impossible. It is more hard than last season”.
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Leicester won only two of the last eight games in which they conceded last season, which emphasises the importance of Ranieri’s greater focus on defence in the second half of the campaign.
“I am very curious”. I hope we can play well and get the win.
Asked if he could envisage Leicester winning it again, he quipped: “It’s impossible, there is more chance of E.T. landing in Piccadilly Circus!”
“I think the bookies have to pay 6,000/1 now”, he said. They are a big threat on the counter-attack with Vardy’s pace and failed to score only once in 19 away games last season (in the 1-0 defeat at Liverpool).
The teams last met in the Premier League during the 2014-15 season, when Leicester City took four of a possible six points.
Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have all appointed new, high-profile managers who have been handed huge war chests in a bid to wrestle dominance of English football back from Leicester. “The big teams are ready to fight for the title and we are ready to defend it”, Ranieri said. Our target is 40 points, then see what happens.
I think it is pretty safe to say the Leicester City will win and surprisingly we are getting better than even money for this bet so I think it is worth an investment.
Ranieri’s success has already gone down in the club’s history after they enjoyed their title triumph with prolonged celebrations and a bus parade through the town centre that attracted Leicester fans in their thousands. “We have strong foundations to keep moving our club forward and I’m delighted that Claudio will continue to be part of that journey”.
“Last season we did something unbelievable but now the big teams come back, I am sure”.
Both teams came through their respective preseason schedules unscathed with respect to injuries and should field their first-choice starting XIs.
“This season is less pressure than last season”, he said. Tell me if there is one.
“The speculation is normal. He is a big player and he needs to feel there are other teams and managers who want him”.
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Riyad Mahrez continues to be linked with a move to Arsenal, but Ranieri is confident that last season’s Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year will stay put.
