Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 8y

Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri praised by Italy PM after title win

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi led the tributes from Italy to coach Claudio Ranieri after he clinched the Premier League title with Leicester City on Monday night.

Ranieri, 64, became the talk of the sports world for his achievement in leading the rank outsiders to their first ever top-flight championship with two games of the season to spare following Tottenham Hotspur's 2-2 draw at Chelsea.

Ranieri took over at the King Power Stadium last summer after the Foxes had managed to avoid relegation near the end of the previous campaign. Despite bookmakers rating them at 5,000-1 to be champions at the start of the season, Ranieri upset the odds and earned widespread praise and reverence in his homeland.

"The biggest achievement in the history of English football has been led by an Italian," wrote Renzi in a tweet. "Great Leicester City. Fantastic coach Ranieri. #crazy."

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri also praised the latest member of the Italian coaching fraternity to win the Premier League -- after  Carlo Ancelotti with Chelsea in 2010 and Roberto Mancini two years later for Manchester City.

"The organisation of the Italian school conquers the Premier League - well done Claudio Ranieri and compliments to Leicester: see you in the Champions League!" he wrote on Twitter.

Alessandro Del Piero, who played under Ranieri in his two seasons in charge of Juventus, said that the Rome-born coach's achievement was one for all lovers of sport.

"Happy for Mr Ranieri and those who love sport: Legendary Leicester City champions, an unforgettable achievement in the Premier League -- compliments," he wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri said "everybody knows that Italian coaches are on a very high level," adding his personal congratulations to Ranieri in an interview with Mediaset television following his side's 2-1 win over Atalanta.

"I'm absolutely delighted for Ranieri, whose pulled off an extraordinary achievement and crowned an equally outstanding career."

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