Ranieri rose from Roman ruins to become ‘King of England’, says his mother

Leicester City’s unexpected Premier League title triumph has helped Claudio Ranieri rediscover himself as a manager after his failed spell at AS Roma, the Italian’s mother, Renata Ranieri has said.
Ranieri spent 18 months at the Italian side but left in 2011 after he fell out with club officials. The 64-year-old then had unsuccessful spells at Inter Milan, French side Monaco and the Greek national team prior to joining Leicester in July. Renata believes his success in England has allowed her son to finally put that disappointment behind him.
“I have to admit, I did not expect him to win with Leicester. He found these players... they are good lads. He told me they always trained as real professionals,” Renata said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
“Naturally it wasn’t a big squad full of champions. I know that he’s happy in England, they always treated him perfectly. He rediscovered himself there.
“In my view, at Roma he was not treated with respect. In the family we are all Giallorossi fans. We were disappointed with the way things ended... Now he’s ‘King of England’, imagine that.”
Renata also said her son was careful to take care of his dietary needs in the weeks leading up to the East Midlands club winning their first English league title.
“My son needs to stay fit, so he almost never opts for a ‘primo’ (the plate of pasta that traditionally kicks off an Italian meal),” the 96-year-old said.
“Instead, he has green beans or a salad... Before leaving, he ate strawberries with lemon and sugar”
Leicester host 11th-placed Everton in the league at the King Power Stadium tomorrow, after which they will be presented with the Premier League trophy.   


Newcastle release French duo Obertan and Marveaux
English Premier League strugglers Newcastle United said yesterday that French duo Gabriel Obertan and Sylvain Marveaux have left St James’ Park by “mutual consent”.  Both players’ contracts were due to expire at the end of the season and, in a statement, the north-east side said that as they were “almost certainly not going to feature in the Magpies’ remaining games of the 2015/16 season, a settlement was agreed earlier this week, allowing them to find new clubs”.
Obertan, aged 27, joined Newcastle from Manchester United in August 2011. The winger made 77 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals, but has not featured for the first team since last September.
Marveaux, 30, also arrived on Tyneside before the start of the 2011/12 season, from French top division Ligue Un side Rennes. But the midfielder spent much of his time with Newcastle sideline by injury and made just 57 appearances in nearly five years, scoring two goals.  
Marveaux spent the 2014/15 campaign on loan at Ligue Un club Guingamp and last played for Newcastle in March 2014.  The Magpies are currently one point above the relegation zone and still not safe from the drop. Their battle to avoid demotion to the second-tier Championship continues away to already-relegated Aston Villa tomorrow.

Cazorla hands Wenger fitness boost before Man City trip
Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has returned to fitness after a five-month injury layoff, handing manager Arsene Wenger a late-season boost before Sunday’s away clash with Manchester City.
The 31-year-old Spain international played an hour for the club’s under-21s against Blackburn Rovers this week, and could return to first-team action for the first time since injuring his knee in December.
Arsenal are third in the Premier League, three points above City, and will guarantee themselves an 18th successive Champions League campaign if they win.
“I would like to help the first team at the weekend against Manchester City,” Cazorla told the club’s website. “(Wenger) has the decision, but I will try to play.”
Cazorla’s absence has given midfielder Alex Iwobi an extended run in the first team, and the youngster has caught the eye with a series of sparkling displays.
Midfielder Jack Wilshere, who has made only one appearance this season after fracturing his left tibia, praised Wenger for the way he had nurtured Iwobi, who turned 20 two days ago.
“I think the boss has done really well with him because he brought him in, brought him out and then put him into the team,” Wilshere said, adding that Iwobi “has repaid him well”.

‘Sunderland must hold their nerve to avoid relegation’
Midfielder Sebastian Larsson has told his Sunderland team that it must hold its nerve to avoid relegation.
Sunderland are third from bottom in the Premier League table ahead of Norwich City and behind Newcastle United, in 17th place, by a single point.
Sunderland, known as the Black Cats, are on a three-game unbeaten run  in the league and tomorrow will host Chelsea, in ninth place in the Premier League, before ending their season with games against Everton and Watford.
“There are three games left and luckily enough it is in our own hands, but we need to collect as many points as possible to make sure it remains that way,” the 31-year-old Larsson told the club’s website. Larsson, who has played a key role in helping serial strugglers Sunderland avoid the drop in previous seasons, said their past experience gives them an edge over the other teams in and around the drop zone.
“We’ve done it (beaten the big teams) when we’ve really had to in previous seasons. It’s the same again and we have to go for the three points,” he added.