Claudio Ranieri says pressure on Premier League's new managers

By Reuters

Image: Claudio Ranieri gears up for 'crazy' Premier League season

Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri is not losing sleep over his team's Premier League title defence and believes the pressure to succeed is more on the new managers of the big-name clubs.

Under Ranieri, 5000-1 outsiders Leicester won their first top flight title last season, with Manchester United and Chelsea failing to secure Champions League qualification and Manchester City only just making the top four.

The 2016-17 season will see some of the most prized managers in the Premier League with Jose Mourinho guiding Manchester United, Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Antonio Conte in charge of Chelsea.

"You imagine the big teams who didn't win, who didn't make the Champions League. They are going crazy now, they want to kill now. Not just us, but all the other teams," Ranieri told British media.

"They have new managers, fantastic managers. Antonio Conte is fantastic; Jose, everybody knows Jose. Pep Guardiola is an amazing person, good manager. I'm laughing because at the end only one will win. And the pressure is not on me, it's on them."

Advertisement

Live International Champions Cup Football

"Leicester City? People are just curious. What will happen with Leicester? What can Leicester do next season? Repeat? To win is a dream."

Also See:

Leicester, who play Celtic in the International Champions Cup at Celtic Park on Saturday, begin their Premier League title defence against newly-promoted Hull on August 13.

Outbrain