Ranieri Notes Premier League Tactics Shift

- Ranieri notes change in Premier League tactics since his time at Chelsea 

- New City boss believes England’s top flight is the best he has managed in 

- Ranieri says pressure of getting results in Premier League is normal 

As Claudio Ranieri gears up for his first season as manager of Leicester City, he explained the changes he has noticed in the Barclays Premier League since his last reign in England. 

The new Foxes boss spent four years at Chelsea from 2000 to 2004, leading them to some impressive finishes in the league, as well as the semi-finals of the Champions League. 

Since then, the 63-year-old Italian has managed some of Europe’s biggest teams, with spells at Juventus, A.S. Roma and Internazionale all contributing to an impressive managerial career. 

But his spell in England over a decade ago made its mark – so much so that he couldn’t resist a return to the Premier League when City came calling. 

“It’s changed a lot,” Ranieri said. “I’ve followed the Premier League for all these years. I kept my house in London and when it was possible I came to London sometimes and I watched a lot of matches. 

“I think it’s changed tactically. Now everybody wants to win but if you are playing better, I’ll try to close all the space for the other team. 

“Every time I’ve said this – in Italy and in France – the Premier League is the best. My job is to try to win games here.” 

A first win for City under Ranieri came in their pre-season opener against Lincoln City on Tuesday evening, with Riyad Mahrez, Andrej Kramarić and Jamie Vardy all finding the back of the net in a 3-1 win. 

The Foxes’ first league fixture against Sunderland on Saturday 8 August is fast approaching, and when questioned about the pressures of the Premier League, Ranieri explained it is only normal in such a highly-strung environment. 

He added: “I live with pressure. In Italy the pressure is everywhere. I think in Italy, not just the matches are full of pressure. Seven days before and seven days after the pressure is a lot also. 

“It’s normal. Everybody wants to win. We are ready to fight. That is important for me – fighting every match and every ball until the end of the match.”