LEICESTER CITY have won the Premier League title after Tottenham gave up a
two-goal lead to draw at Chelsea.
Claudio Ranieri’s men, 5,000-1 outsiders at the start of the season, secured
the championship with two games to spare as Spurs caved in to Chelsea’s
second half onslaught to draw 2-2 at Stamford Bridge.
It completes a remarkable fairytale for the east Midlands club who have gone
from relegation contenders to champions in the space of 12 months.
Leicester’s stars
celebrated together at the home of striker Jamie Vardy where they all
watched the action unfold in west London.
Ranieri said: “I’m so proud. I’m happy for my players, for the chairman,
for the staff at Leicester City, all our fans and the Leicester community.
It’s an amazing feeling and I’m so happy for everyone.
“I never expected this when I arrived. I’m a pragmatic man, I just wanted to
win match after match and help my players to improve week after week. Never
did I think too much about where it would take us.
“The players have been fantastic. Their focus, their determination, their
spirit has made this possible. Every game they fight for each other and I
love to see this in my players. They deserve to be champions.”
And boss Ranieri flew back early from a visit to see his mother in Rome to be
near his players and Leicester officials while Chelsea
and Spurs did battle.
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Striker Jamie Vardy said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling, I’ve never known
anything like it. We were scrapping to stay in the league last season and on
Saturday we’ll be lifting the trophy. That gives you an idea of how much
hard work has gone into this season from every single player and member of
staff.
“It’s the biggest achievement in the history of a great club and we all feel
privileged to be part of it. It’s even more special to have done it with
these lads. Every minute of hard work we’ve put in on the training pitch has
been worth it for this moment.”
Foxes captain Wes Morgan added: “It’s the best feeling of my career and I
couldn’t be prouder that it’s as part of this team. Everyone’s worked so
hard for this, nobody believed we could do it, but here we are, Premier
League champions and deservedly so.
“I’ve never known a spirit like the one between these boys, we’re like
brothers. People saw it last season when everyone expected us to be
relegated, but we fought back to prove people wrong. This season’s been a
continuation of that. We’ve built on the momentum, but I don’t think anyone
believed it would come to this.
“Saturday can’t come quickly enough. I can’t wait to get my hands on the
trophy.”
Andy King: “I thought I’d seen everything with this club, but I never thought
I’d see this. It’s difficult to put into words. The players deserve it, the
gaffer and the staff deserve it, and the fans deserve it. It’s been an
unbelievable season.
“The story of where this team has come from to get to this point has been
all over the world recently and I think the lads deserve great credit for
the way they’ve taken it in their stride, stayed focused and kept delivering
results – especially with a great side like Spurs chasing us so hard. We’ve
been so consistent and just determined not to let the opportunity pass us
by. We deserve this.
Leicester had missed out on the chance to secure the title on Sunday when they drew
1-1 at Manchester United knowing victory would be enough for glory.
But though they have now hit the jackpot without kicking a ball, there were no
unhappy faces among the squad put together for just £31million that has
shocked the footballing world.
Former Chelsea and Tottenham
player Scott Parker said: Parker added: “It’s inspirational, it’s quite
incredible
“From the outset Claudio has done a remarkable job. He’s taken the pressure
off his squad, it’s only been the last two weeks he has mentioned the title.
“He has taken the pressure right off the players
“He is a lovely man, an honourable man, a moral man and he deserves it all.
“I have no doubt he will be in floods of tears. He’s a steely man, an
honourable man and absolutely over the moon for him.
“This is not just a one-off game, this is a season. Inspirational, incredible.”
Sky sports pundit Jamie Carragher said: “In the management game there are very
few who have the respect, but Ranieri has been one of those managers who has
been round for 20-odd years, finally now he might get the recognition he
deserves.
“He’s put himself up there he will never ever be forgotten. This story will be
told, maybe even in a hundred years time.
“It’s the greatest achievement in the history of our game, it’s
unprecedented. It’s just so rare.”
Parker says boss Ranieri has gone full circle from the one he worked under at
Stamford Bridge.
Parker said: “The thing with Claudio was that he was so unpredictable back
then at Chelsea, you never knew what side he was going to play.
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“You could do really well and win 4-0 one week, but then you are not involved
in the next game.
“Now he’s come full circle at Leicester. If anything he has become the most
predictable manager because you know how he is going to set up.
“But there were seeds in in the way he asked us to play at Chelsea in the way
he has got Leicester playing this season.”
