The Italian, 64, led the Leicester to their first Premier League title in his first season with the club.
Advertisement
Claudio Ranieri has joked that there is more chance of E.T. landing in Piccadilly Circus than Leicester retaining their Premier League title.
He led Leicester City to last season’s Premier League title with an nearly never-changing starting lineup, and while he’s lost N’Golo Kanté already from that group, he’s been desperately hoping to keep both Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez. One would feel a side that finished 10 points clear of any other side would follow that trend, but Leicester City do not play by the rules.
“It’s more hard than last season – it’s easier that ET comes to Piccadilly Circus”, the Italian coach said, referring to the alien from the 1982 Hollywood movie.
Leicester had the season of dreams after going from worrying from being relegated to winning the Premier League. “We must enjoy our experience in the Champions League but also fight”. “I am very happy and proud that I will be part of it for years to come”, he said in a statement on the club’s official website.
The Foxes, beaten 2-1 in the Community Shield by Manchester United on Sunday, begin their Premier League season with a trip to promoted Hull City on Saturday. But I believe in one thing, the pressure is about the big teams, the big clubs, because they can’t permit again another disaster.
This will be just the third time these sides have ever met in the Premier League. Most British bookmakers make the teams the two favorites for the title this season.
“I watch very well the match against Manchester United and we still have the same hunger, same humility, same passion”.
An old rival of Guardiola from their time in Spain, Mourinho had made no secret of his desire to be Alex Ferguson’s long-term successor at Old Trafford and will surely be out to prove a point after being sacked by Chelsea last season a few months after leading them to the title.
“He is in good condition”, the Leicester boss said.
Ranieri also reiterated his determination to keep star winger Riyad Mahrez at Leicester with the Algeria worldwide rumoured to be interesting Arsenal.
Advertisement
The 19-year-old, who now plays for Santos, is competing at the Olympics for host nation Brazil in a team alongside Neymar. When Jamie is on the pitch always the teammates, me, the owner, our fans can say, ‘now Jamie can score.’ If Jamie Vardy is the goal scorer, Riyad Mahrez is our light.
