Ranieri faces his former club on Monday Night Football for the first time in the Premier League since being dismissed in May 2004 as Leicester welcome Chelsea to the King Power Stadium.
Advertisement
Ranieri is too gracious a character, it seems, to speak ill of anybody and he told an Italian TV reporter on Friday that he had “no wish for revenge” over Chelsea.
But with 14 points separating them from the Champions League qualification places, the manager’s belief that his side are back on track must be justified soon if they are to launch a charge up the table.
Leicester are unbeaten in eight games but Manchester City’s last-gasp 2-1 win over Swansea on Saturday saw them move ahead at the top on goal difference.
“One, to be champions, which would be wonderful”. Another would be to finish top four, which again would be a super achievement.
Mourinho, said Leicester City has the ability to finish in top six this season, which would also be a great ending.
“Small tactical adjustments, but the attitude I think is the most important thing”.
“So at this moment they have conditions to enjoy playing free of any pressure but keeping that ambition that leaves them in this fantastic position”.
After a few minutes talking about his fears for British managers, and an afternoon discussing the threat of Jamie Vardy and Leicester City, Jose Mourinho suddenly changed tack. We have the same manager, we have the same players.
Striker Costa has seven goals since January and four this season, while Hazard, the stand-out performer in last year’s title success, has not scored in 26 Chelsea appearances.
The Russian billionaire took over the London club in 2003 and Ranieri was axed a year later to make way for Jose Mourinho. “When he told me, “Claudio, there is a new owner”, I said, “me and you are the first to go home”.
“I think this is very normal”.
“In that case it was the end of a cycle”. It was fantasy football in terms of how you can run a club, because you were given unlimited funds to go and sign whoever.
Frank Lampard, William Gallas, Paulo Ferreira, Arjen Robben, Petr Cech, Claude Makelele, Joe Cole, Damien Duff. Change the manager, change the squad, change the direction.
Advertisement
It was only when the Portuguese left for Real Madrid and Ranieri later became Inter boss that the relationship improved. It wasn’t possible for him and he said ‘okay, you start and we’ll see what we can buy’. I wanted to win something.
