Ranieri Expected Chelsea Sacking

Claudio Ranieri has stated he was expecting the sack from Roman Abrahimovich when he joined Chelsea.

The Italian manager, Ranieri, was later sacked in mid-2004, months after Abrahimovich joined the club.

Ranieri, who now manages Leicester, has stated it was only a matter of time

“When he arrived did I think change was inevitable? Yes, immediately,” he told reporters ahead of Leicester’s clash against his former club on Monday.

“The sporting director Trevor Birch told me there is a new owner and I said, ‘Me and you are the first who will go home.’

“You imagine, the new owner arrives and he wants to put in his own men. It is normal. The new owner wanted to change something, it is normal.”

Chelsea have gone on to win four Premier League titles since Ranieri’s departure, and the 64-year-old said the club’s supporters were often thankful to him for initiating an era.

“When I meet some Chelsea fans, they say, ‘Thank you, you are the first one who started to build a fantastic squad,’” he said.