The fairy tale that saw Leicester City win the English Premier League has officially come to an end, as Claudio Ranieri has been sacked by the Foxes following Wednesday's loss against Sevilla.
The Italian manager, who won the FIFA Coach of the Year award after leading the team to their first EPL title in 133 years, wasn't able to replicate last season's success, with the Foxes currently ranked 17th in the domestic tournament and one point away from relegation spots.
The club issued a press release explaining how the board agreed to part ways with the Italian coach.
“This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City. But we are duty-bound to put the Club’s long-term interests above all sense of personal sentiment, no matter how strong that might be," the press release states.
"It was never our expectation that the extraordinary feats of last season should be replicated this season. Indeed, survival in the Premier League was our first and only target at the start of the campaign. But we are now faced with a fight to reach that objective and feel a change is necessary to maximise the opportunity presented by the final 13 games,” the press release adds.
Ranieri joined the Foxes in December 2014 and managed to save the team from relegation five months later.
The club will hand Assistant Manager Craig Shakespeare and First Team Coach Mike Stowell the team's coaching duties for their upcoming clash against Liverpool. A new manager should be unveiled next week.
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