Claudio Ranieri repeating Leicester City heroics at Nantes

When Claudio Ranieri was first revealed as Leicester City’s new manager, the appointment received a welcome like no other, though in a way that the Italian won’t have liked.

With relegation accepted as the fate, Ranieri wasn’t given a cat in hell’s chance, but as it turned out, the “Tinker Man” went on to achieve what no other manager probably would with Leicester City anytime sooner: A Premier League title win.

Many have since deemed it as a one-off, the most fortunate of historic triumphs that can’t be repeated at all. However, King Claudio is in no mood to let his name be lost in history books as the man who was the cock of the walk once, but mostly a feather duster nonetheless.

Now playing his trade at FC Nantes, the 66-year old is pulling off another miracle with the Les Canaris, who currently sit third on the Ligue 1 table, a sight that you won’t often see.

Although nine points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain (29 points), Nantes could possibly reduce that gap to just six tonight, staying well within touch of their title rivals. Compare that to the 44-point gap between the two at the end of last season, and you’ll know as to what’s special in this case.

Of course, comparisons are now being drawn with Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City title win, with a number of people seeing it as a real possibility. The former AS Monaco boss is having none of that, however, as he insists that only the manager is the same – nothing else.

"“The French journalists asked me if there were some similarities between Leicester and Nantes,” Ranieri told BBC Football Focus.“I said there is nothing. Only the manager is the same.“Leicester was something special, it is not possible to repeat that in 50 years. It is not possible.”"

FC Nantes have only conceded seven times in 10 games so far (only Montpellier have a better defensive record), scoring just nine goals in the process themselves (just five teams have scored fewer goals), reflecting his Leicester-like tactics of defending as a unit and playing on the counter-attack. Pointing out the reason why Nantes play that way, he said:

"“I play in this way because I want to bring out the maximum from my players. I have to feel what they can do. If I feel better that they can close the space and play on the counter-attack, I will play this way.”"