Leicester City players and fans celebrated into the night on Monday after Chelsea held Tottenham Hotspur to a 2-2 draw, handing the Premier League trophy to the Midlands club.
Claudio Ranieri, Leicester’s manager, hailed the “determination” and “spirit” of his players, who had started the season as 5,000-1 outsiders for the title after narrowly escaping relegation last season.
“I’m so proud,” Ranieri told the club website. “I’m happy for my players, for the chairman, for the staff at Leicester City, all our fans and the Leicester community.”
“I never expected this when I arrived,” the Italian added.
“I’m a pragmatic man. I just wanted to win match after match and help my players to improve week after week. Never did I think too much about where it would take us.”
The Leicester squad gathered to watch the game at the home of striker Jamie Vardy, named Footballer of the Year earlier on Monday, and video phone footage posted by defender Christian Fuchs showed them exploding with joy at the final whistle.
Ranieri had originally said he would not be around to see what turned out to be the decisive game at Stamford Bridge as he was having lunch with his mother in Italy.
However, he changed his plans to fly back to be on hand at the club where the Chelsea fans, with whom he was always popular despite being sacked after the arrival of owner Roman Abramovich, chanted his name.
Leicester’s Wes Morgan, the personification of their astonishing transformation, said it was indomitable team spirit that secured their Premier League title success and he cannot wait to get his hands on the trophy on Saturday.
“It’s the best feeling of my career and I couldn’t be prouder that it’s as part of this team,” Morgan told the club website.
“Everyone’s worked so hard for this, nobody believed we could do it, but here we are, Premier League champions and deservedly so.”
Leicester City fans celebrate in the Market Tavern in LeicesterLeicester City fans celebrate in the Market Tavern in Leicester Credit: PA
Tottenham, needing to win to take the title race to the penultimate weekend of the season, were deservedly ahead at halftime through goals by Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
But Gary Cahill halved the deficit just before the hour mark and second-half substitute Eden Hazard’s 83rd-minute curler handed the title to Leicester.
With two games left Leicester are seven points clear and Tottenham need three points to secure runners-up spot. Telegraph.co.uk
