Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 8y

Claudio Ranieri's mother brought to tears by Leicester's title triumph

Claudio Ranieri's mother said she was moved to tears by the draw between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur which saw her son's Leicester City crowned Premier League champions on Monday night.

Ranieri had just visited her for lunch in the 96-year-old's home in Rome before flying back to England to watch Monday night's 1-1 draw, which sealed one of the most unexpected and unlikely title triumphs in history.

"I just started crying," Renata Ranieri told La Repubblica regarding her emotions when the final whistle was blown at Stamford Bridge. "I only spoke to Claudio later on that night because my grandchildren and son's cousins were all calling me. He was delighted -- all of us are. And now we can relax."

Renata had been following her son's progress all season, while she says he had filled in any gaps with his daily telephone calls.

"It was an emotion which went on and on," Renata said. "This morning I bought all the sports newspapers and read all the headlines. How satisfying. Now all the papers are calling him the King of England."

Leicester's title success nevertheless came as a surprise, even to the person who has always believed in Ranieri the most.

"I've got to say no," she said when asked if she had expected him to be so successful. "He found these players -- all great lads. He told me they were always training like true professionals, but certainly he was not coaching an amazing squad. I know that he is happy in England and everybody has treated him perfectly there. He rediscovered himself there."

Ranieri previously came close to winning a major title with Chelsea, Juventus and Roma, guiding the latter to within minutes of the title in 2010, even if his mother does not agree entirely that he did not win Serie A.

"I don't think he was ever treated with respect at Roma," Ranieri's mother said. "We're all Giallorossi fans in the family and when Claudio was here, we would be guests at Trigoria [training ground], but we're sorry about how it all ended.

"Look -- he won his Scudetto here too. He was so close to it, so, so close, but he took over after the season had started. But anyway, he's the King of England now -- imagine that."

Leicester's title victory reminded former Italian coach Osvaldo Bagnoli of when he guided an unfancied Hellas Verona to the 1985 Serie A title, although he says Ranieri's achievement eclipses that.

"Frankly, I've got to say Leicester's [is more of a surprise] and I don't have any problems admitting that," he told the Corriere Veneto. "When I took over at Verona in 1981, we were in Serie B and then we got promoted and in the next two seasons we finished fourth and then sixth.

"So we had always finished in a good position, although of course nobody expected us to win the league. It wasn't as big a shock as Leicester, who I am told only just avoided relegation last year. I certainly have great esteem for Ranieri for what he has achieved."

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