Claudio Ranieri moved by 'amazing experience' at Stamford Bridge as Leicester draw with Chelsea

The former Chelsea manager was given a guard of honour by his former team

Claudio Ranieri at Stamford Bridge (Getty)

Claudio Ranieri admitted that the guard of honour he was given by the Chelsea players at Stamford Bridge on Sunday was a moving experience for him.

The manager of title-winning Leicester City was given a warm welcome back to his former club, where he was manager from 2000 to 2004, before the match when he and his players were applauded on to the pitch.

“My emotion was at the maximum,” Ranieri, whose side ended up winning the title by 10 points after the final-day 1-1 draw at Chelsea, admitted. “It was a fantastic welcome back from everybody. From Roman Abramovich then from all our fans and all the Chelsea fans. It was an amazing moment for me.”

Ranieri, though, was not totally satisfied with his side’s performance on the pitch. “We wanted to keep a clean sheet,” he said. “It would have been our 16th of the season. We were a bit unlucky. But it was a good match. In the first half, Chelsea had lots of chances, in the second half we were better. But it was an open game and hard for us to play fast. Overall, I am pleased with the performance and the character.”

Ranieri reflected on winning the title by such a big margin and put the gap down to the inconsistencies of other teams. “We weren’t super consistent,” he said, “but the other teams they go up, they go down. Our strength was that every match for us was the last match. We played with this mentality. A winning mentality - but also that this is the last match. Of course, we are all happy because we lost just three matches all season. It is an amazing achievement.

“It will be difficult next season. This was a fairytale - I hope the next one is not a nightmare. We are fighting between 10, 11 teams for the high positions. But we will continue to fight. It was important for us to be ready when the other big teams were not.”

Ranieri paid tribute to his captain Wes Morgan who played every minute of the season. “Wes is a fantastic man,” the Italian said. “He was our leader in the dressing room and he doesn’t speak so often but when he does everybody is quiet. Not only him, all the lads. They are intelligent. And with intelligent men you can improve.”

European football does not and should daunt Ranieri and his players and he is looking forward to what the next chapter brings. “Champions League will be a very good experience for all my players,” he said. “Not one played the Champions League. It will be a very good atmosphere with the music. I hope we are ready and don’t listen to too much of the music but make some music of our own.”

Danny Drinkwater celebrates his goal for Leicester against Chelsea (Getty)

Ranieri is now looking forward to a rest following Monday’s open-top bus parade around Leicester and a quick trip to Thailand after a hectic conclusion to the season. “Tomorrow, we say thank you to all our fans around the city. After, after a break. Then I can realise what happened this season - maybe.”

It was an emotional day for the departing Chelsea manager, Guus Hiddink, too - but for different reasons. The Dutchman will return to work with academy players so it is not goodbye forever: “Yes, it was emotional,” the Dutchman said. “I do not have tears on my cheeks - it is not too dramatic. I will be back every now and again - just not in the limelight.”

Does that mean he could rule out stepping in for a third time? “Yes, not for a third time!” he said. “It would be very bad if I'm called in December. I am fully confident they will go up where they belong: fighting for silverware and the top four at least.”

But Hiddink warns that that will not be straight forward. “It will not be easy,” he said. “This season has made us well aware of what other clubs can do: Leicester, Spurs, West Ham, others are knocking on the door and have better finances, smart recruiting. It’s not a done deal that the four established teams from the past will be the four established clubs of the future.”