MILAN: Claudio Ranieri’s triumph with Leicester City in England has more than made amends for being sacked by Roma, according to the Italian’s 96-year-old mother.
“I’m sorry about how it finished for him at Roma: we’ve always been a big Roma-supporting family,” Renata Ranieri told La Repubblica newspaper on Wednesday.
“He took over (at Roma) when the season had already started. He didn’t earn the respect of his own city... and I’m disappointed it finished like that for him.
“But now, he’s the king of England and he’s getting compliments from all around the world.”
Ranieri went to Rome to have lunch with his elderly mother on the day Leicester clinched their historic Premier League title when Tottenham failed to beat his former club Chelsea on Monday.
It was only two hours, but it gave her 64-year-old son “time to relax” and reflect on an unforgettable season at the tail end of what has been a storied, and not always successful, career for the coach known as the “Tinkerman.”
Ranieri’s achievements with Leicester have resonated around the world, especially in his native Italy.
Sacked by Juventus before the end of the season in 2009, Ranieri was appointed Roma coach months later after Luciano Spalletti quit after two opening defeats.
It looked a dream appointment for the man who grew up supporting Roma while working as a butcher’s boy before embarking on a modest playing career.
But despite Roma going 24 games unbeaten, Ranieri’s popularity plummeted when they lost the title and the Italian Cup final to Jose Mourinho’s treble-winning Inter Milan.
After a 1-0 Cup final defeat to Inter, Mourinho mocked Ranieri for showing his players the ‘Gladiator’ film in a bid to inspire them to victory.
Defeat to Inter in the Italian Super Cup final the following season preceded a negative series of results and Ranieri quit Roma in February 2011.
Five years after the bittersweet experience, Ranieri’s coaching acumen is now being applauded around the world.
“I started crying at the end of game,” his mother said of Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham.
Although Ranieri was scheduled to be flying while Monday’s Premier League game was underway, the Italian reportedly watched the game live after Leicester president Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha laid on a private flight.
“I only heard from Claudio later on because I was busy taking calls from grandsons and cousins. He was very happy, like everyone was: now we can all relax,” added Renata.
Defying odds of 5,000-1 to prevail ahead of England’s glamor clubs in a way that turned Leicester’s unheralded players into household names, even Ranieri’s mother had doubts.
“I didn’t expect him to win, but the players he had under him are all good lads. It wasn’t a little team he was in charge of, but they trained like true professionals,” she said.
Considered a relative failure in Italy after being sacked by Inter and Juventus, Ranieri’s biggest achievement in his homeland was steering Fiorentina to the Serie B championship in 1994 and the Italian Cup and Super Cup two years later.
Ranieri’s appointment as Leicester manager followed a disastrous spell with Greece that raised the doubts of Leicester fans, including former Foxes striker Gary Lineker.
His mother added: “In England, he is in his element, they treat him perfectly and allowed him to get back on his feet. And I want to say thanks to them all.”
Ranieri is ‘King of England’, says mum
Ranieri is ‘King of England’, says mum
Al-Ahli survive first-half scare to cruise to victory and tie Al-Hilal at the top of Saudi Pro League
- Al-Ahli draw level with league leaders Al-Hilal on 53 points after trailing 1-0 down at half-time
- Al-Ettifaq and Al-Fateh play out seven-goal thriller in Dammam
DAMMAM: Matchday 23 kicked began with what ultimately became a comfortable victory for Al-Ahli over relegation-battling Al-Najma at home. However, the hosts endured a tough first 45 minutes, falling 1-0 behind and missing a penalty before scoring four in the second half against the 10-man visitors.
Al-Najma — fresh off their first victory in Saudi Pro League history when they beat Al-Kholood last week — arrived in Jeddah with confidence. Despite facing an in-form Al-Ahli, they controlled the tempo early on, forcing the hosts play on the back foot for much of the opening half hour.
The architect of Al-Najma’s bright start was Néstor El Maestro, returning to the Saudi Pro League for the first time in five years. After guiding the club to their first win in 21 matches, a result in Al-Ahli’s backyard would have provided the perfect reignite their survival bid.
El Maestro once said, “Life is too short to spend defending in a low block”, during his time at relegation-battling Göztepe in the Turkish Süper Lig in 2022. That philosophy defined Al-Najma’s bold approach against the reigning Asian Champions League Elite and Saudi Super Cup holders.
Initially, the strategy paid off. Davd Tijanić beat two Al-Ahli defenders with a deft move on the left flank in the 27th minute before releasing Lázaro, who finished past Édouard Mendy to hand the visitors a surprise lead.
Al-Ahli immediately pushed for an equaliser. Ivan Toney was brought down in the box in the 29th minute, only for the referee to wave away penalty appeals. Moments later, a handball inside Al-Najma’s area led to a lengthy VAR review and eventually a spot-kick for the hosts.
Toney, seeking his 21st goal of the campaign and boasting a perfect record from the spot for Al-Ahli, saw his penalty saved by Victor Braga. He pounced on the rebound, but Braga recovered to claim the ball and preserve the lead.
Braga continued to frustrate the hosts with several key saves before clashing into an opponent on the verge of half-time. The referee initially awarded a second penalty to Al-Ahli, but after a VAR review overturned the decision, Al-Najma went into the break still in front.
Al-Ahli knew a victory was essential on a pivotal weekend, with city rivals Al-Ittihad facing Al-Hilal in a clash that could influence the title race. Their response after the interval was swift, with Riyad Mahrez delivering a dipping cross that was met by Valentin Atangana, who headed in the equaliser.
Atangana was fouled ten minutes later, when Felippe Cardoso pushed him in the face. The Brazilian striker, already booked, received his marching orders from the referee.
With a numerical advantage, Al-Ahli asserted control. Roger Ibañez picked out Mahrez with a measured long pass over the top. The Algerian cushioned a first-time lay-off into Toney’s path, and the English striker finished clinically in the 69th minute.
Toney added his second of the evening — and 22nd of the season — in the 87th minute, meeting Matheus Gonçalves’ cross at the far post with a first-time finish. The Englishman completed his hat-trick in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Al-Najma conceded their second penalty of the night.
The win moves Al-Ahli level on points with Al-Hilal on 53 points, awaiting their game later this week. Meanwhile, El Maestro’s task with Al-Najma grows more difficult, as Al-Riyadh’s 2-0 victory over Al-Kholood in Qassim leaves Al-Najma eight points adrift of safety.
Elsewhere, Al-Ettifaq and Al-Fateh produced one of the season’s most entertaining encounters in an Eastern Province derby. Al-Ettifaq raced into a 3-0 lead inside 36 minutes, with goals from Khalid Al-Ghannam and Georginio Wijnaldum putting them firmly in control.
North African duo Mourad Batna and Sofiane Bendebka dragged Al-Fateh back into the contest with goals on either side of stoppage time in the first half. Madallah Al-Olayan restored Al-Ettifaq’s cushion in 48th minute, but Batna struck again in the 71st minute to set up a tense finale.
After seven goals in a back-and-forth thriller, Al-Ettifaq held on for a 4-3 victory in Dammam.
Saudi Pro League action resumes on Friday, with Al-Okhdood hosting Al-Qadsiah, Al-Taawoun welcoming Al-Fayha and Al-Shabab travelling to Khamis Mushait to face Damac. All games kick off at 10:00pm in the league’s unified Ramadan schedule.
