Advertisement

Leicester City axe Claudio Ranieri nine months after Premier League triumph

Claudio Ranieri has brutally been given the chop by Leicester City.

The Italian was given his marching orders after Wednesday’s 2-1 Champions League defeat to Sevilla.

Ranieri shocked the football world by leading the Foxes to an incredible Premier League title triumph last season.

However, the champions have fallen sharply down the table and are just one place and one point above the relegation zone.

They were also knocked out of the FA Cup by League One side Millwall in humiliating fashion.

Leicester’s board felt the need to give their beleaguered manager a vote of confidence in early February as speculation mounted he could be axed.

READ MORE: Mourinho sends message to Ranieri after sacking

READ MORE: Gary Lineker leads Twitter reaction to Ranieri’s sacking

However, results have not improved since and the club released a statement confirming his departure on Thursday night.

Vice Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: “This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City. But we are duty-bound to put the Club’s long-term interests above all sense of personal sentiment, no matter how strong that might be.

“Claudio has brought outstanding qualities to his office. His skilful management, powers of motivation and measured approach have been reflective of the rich experience we always knew he would bring to Leicester City.

READ MORE: The relegation battle – who is going down?

READ MORE: Gossip – Ranieri ‘knifed in back by players’, as Hiddink and Mancini linked

“His warmth, charm and charisma have helped transform perceptions of the Club and develop its profile on a global scale. We will forever be grateful to him for what he has helped us to achieve.

“It was never our expectation that the extraordinary feats of last season should be replicated this season. Indeed, survival in the Premier League was our first and only target at the start of the campaign. But we are now faced with a fight to reach that objective and feel a change is necessary to maximise the opportunity presented by the final 13 games.”

Read More: Twitter ERUPTS after Ranieri’s sacking

Leicester’s assistant manager Craig Shakespeare and first-team Coach Mike Stowell have been placed in caretaker charge of the club.

Coach Paolo Benetti and first-team sport science and conditioning coach Andrea Azzalin have followed Ranieri out the door.