Leicester City have announced they have sacked Claudio Ranieri less than 12 months after he led the club to the Premier League title.
The Foxes were shock winners of the league last season but have put in a dismal defence of their title and are now only one point above the relegation zone.
Leicester are still in with a chance of progressing through to the quarter finals of the Champions League after only losing 2-1 away to Sevilla on Wednesday but the performance wasn’t enough to save Ranieri’s job.
Performances have been shocking this season, while players and coaching staff have reportedly grown disillusioned by some of Ranieri’s decision making this season, with his decision to constantly overlook Demarai Gray baffled sections of the dressing room.
“This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City,” vice chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha told the club’s official website. “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. His warmth, charm and charisma have helped transformed 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 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.”
Leicester have lost seven of their last nine matches in all competitions and have still not scored a Premier League goal in 2017.
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