Claudio Ranieri fought back tears as he received a standing ovation in the final game of his remarkable coaching career.
The 72-year-old Ranieri, who currently coaches Cagliari in Serie A, was visibly emotional as he received accolades from fans, coaches and players ahead of the team’s final game of the season, which is being played at home to Fiorentina on Thursday night.
The stylish Italian led the Sicilian club back to the top flight last season with promotion from Serie B and ended his remarkable spell at the helm of the Islanders by securing Serie A by one game.
Ranieri’s long coaching career began back in 1987 at Italian football club Vigor Lamezia and he has since coached Juventus, Roma, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid as well as four years at Chelsea. The veteran has won six major trophies during his career, including the Coppa Italia and Copa Del Rey in Spain.
His finest period, however, came in 2016, when he led Leicester City to a fairytale season in which they won the English Premier League title, despite being ranked 1000/1 outsiders at the start of the season. Less than 12 months later, the 72-year-old was controversially sacked, although the Foxes finished in the last 16 of the Champions League in their first adventure at the top of the Europa League.