Claudio Ranieri marvels at Francesco Totti – “he doesn’t age – and discusses Leicester City’s Champions League debut.
The Foxes manager is a former Roma Coach, and spoke about the Giallorossi’s legendary captain after his goal and assist against Sampdoria at the weekend.
“He doesn’t age, it’s extraordinary,” Ranieri exclaimed in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport’s Extra Time.
Claudio Ranieri marvels at Francesco Totti – “he doesn’t age – and discusses Leicester City’s Champions League debut.
The Foxes manager is a former Roma Coach, and spoke about the Giallorossi’s legendary captain after his goal and assist against Sampdoria at the weekend.
“He doesn’t age, it’s extraordinary,” Ranieri exclaimed in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport’s Extra Time.
“His words struck me: ‘I feel good, and if it continues like this why should I stop?’. That’s exactly it: why should he retire if he can still be decisive?
“It seems to me that Francesco has realised he can still come on for half an hour and score, and that’s very important.”
Ranieri steered Leicester to the Premier League title last season, earning them a spot in this season’s Champions League.
“It’s a special tournament. Returning with Leicester, with a team which accomplished an amazing feat which stirred passions across the world, fills me with pride.
“It’s a prize for the city, the players, the chairman and the fans. We enter the European stage with humility. We’re the last to arrive, but we have the strength of dignity. We want to do well.
“We know very well that what the club accomplished last season will be unique, we’re not the same as a year ago for a number of reasons.
“There are new players, the motivation of opponents and we’re less of a surprise. I was expecting a complicated start. Repeating things is difficult for the great clubs, let alone Leicester.”
The Italian was Juventus Coach for the best part of two seasons, and discussed the Bianconeri’s options and some of the other favourites.
“Bayern Munich? Carlo [Ancelotti] has an extraordinary talent: the ease with which he enters into the mentality of English, Spanish, Germans.
“After a month he seems like one of them. He knows how to win. He’s a great Coach who hasn’t forgotten his relationship with the squad due to his past as a player.
“As for Juventus, [Gonzalo] Higuain, [Miralem] Pjanic and [Medhi] Benatia are champions. With Higuain and Pjanic their attack and midfield is up there with anyone in Europe.
“Benatia is the perfect reinforcement to help [Andrea] Barzagli, [Leonardo] Bonucci and [Giorgio] Chiellini take a breather.
“The strength of Juventus is how they’re run, Juve didn’t need Chinese or US money to get to this level.
“Do I wish it was this way in my time there? I absolutely don’t have regrets. I’m happy with my career and I think in life you have to know how to seize the opportunities that are offered to you.
“The title I won with Leicester is on a planetary dimension, it makes me proud that it happened to me. I have no regrets.
“Napoli? I think they’ve coped well with the departure of Higuain. The right reinforcements came in, and in [Maurizio] Sarri they have a Coach who can keep things together.
“Napoli don’t have to win the Champions League, they just have to face it in a dignified way and in my opinion they won’t disappoint.”
Finally, Ranieri spared a word for Mario Balotelli, who scored a brace on his Nice debut on Sunday.
“I’m happy about his two goals,” he said.
“I have a lot of affection for Mario, and he’s a fine player. He still has time to become a champion.”