Leicester City: Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini backs leaders to win Premier League

The Italian enjoyed a brief spell on loan at Leicester in 2001 but won the title with City as boss 11 years later

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Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says he would prefer leaders Leicester City to win the Premier League title over his former employers.

The Italian, currently in his second spell as Internazionale head coach, played five times on loan for the East Midlands club in 2001 before retiring from a playing career which enabled him to lift two Serie A titles with Sampdoria and Lazio.

Mancini delivered City’s first top-flight title in 44 years back in 2012 but was dismissed after dressing room unrest and failure to compete in the Champions League ultimately became his downfall at the Etihad.

“If I could only choose one it would be Leicester,” the 51-year-old told the BBC this week. “[Claudio] Ranieri is a good man, he knows football very well.”

The former Galatasaray manager is joined only by Carlo Ancelotti on the slim list of Italian managers who have won the Premier League but Mancini believes Ranieri can replicate their success at the King Power Stadium.

“I hope he will be the third Italian to do it,” he added. “For a team like Leicester to win the Premier League against the biggest teams like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, it would be incredible.”