Leicester City have announced that they have parted ways with Claudio Ranieri after some indifferent results.
Ranieri guided the team to their maiden Premier League title last season as the Foxes avoided relegation to emerge as the Champions the following season. The defending Champions lost just three games en route to their maiden Premier League crown last season.
The Italian pulled off a miracle using a bunch of unknown players. The likes of Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kanté, Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater and Wes Morgan were never expected to grab the headlines but performed well as a unit. Nobody would have thought that a team like Leicester could achieve something like that, even more so keeping in mind they did not have any high-profile names in their squad.
But the Foxes have failed to replicate their form as they have been awful this term. They failed to score a single goal in 2017 and have won only one match out of their last ten games. Leicester announced the decision after only 24 hours of their Champions League last 16 defeat against Sevilla.
Ranieri’s departure comes as a shock. A few weeks earlier, the club showed their full-fledged support towards their manager after a string of disappointing results. They made a statement on their official Twitter handle, “#lcfc would like to make absolutely clear its unwavering support for Claudio Ranieri.”
This is the second time that a Premier club have sacked their manager in the following season after winning the Premier League like Chelsea did with Jose Mourinho last year.
Leicester are only a point above the relegation zone with only Hull City, Crystal Palace and Sunderland below them.
Twitter was visibly shocked with Leicester’s decision. Although the team have struggled, it still seems very harsh to get rid of him. Here are some of the tweets.
After all that Claudio Ranieri has done for Leicester City, to sack him now is inexplicable, unforgivable and gut-wrenchingly sad.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) February 23, 2017
I am sorry for my friend #Ranieri. He will remain in the history of @LCFC, in the heart of #Leicester fans and all football lovers.
— Roberto Mancini (@robymancio) February 24, 2017
Absolute Joke. https://t.co/TdKVeR1nJN
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) February 23, 2017
Sad day for football if @LCFC have sacked their manager
— stephen hunt (@stephenhunt1010) February 23, 2017
Absolute joke to sack Ranieri! Joke! Where is the loyalty? Disgrace!
— John Arne Riise (@JARiiseOfficial) February 23, 2017
Absolute madness that sacking #Ranieri
— Luke Garbutt (@luke_garbutt) February 23, 2017
Just seen Ranieri news. Shocked after last night display! Wins the league & still not afforded the time to fight for safety. Unreal scenes!
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) February 23, 2017
