Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri hopes N’Golo Kante will get a hero’s welcome when he makes his first return to the Leicester and says Antonio Conte has what it takes to bring trophies to Chelsea.
Claudio Ranieri compatriot Antonio Conte will be a success at Chelsea as the two teams prepare to meet in the EFL Cup.
The Leicester boss, speaking ahead of the EFL Cup third-round tie at King Power Stadium on Tuesday, is adamant his compatriot will live up to expectations in London.
“I think he can bring trophies,” Ranieri said.
“He’s a winner. He needs time. I think he can [lift] some trophies.”
Kante returns with Chelsea in the third round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday and Ranieri is looking forward to their reunion.
“I am very happy and I will give to him a very warm welcome back and I am sure also our fans they must appreciate what he did last season and give him a warm welcome,” he said.
“I will be very happy if our fans clap him at the beginning and afterwards he is an enemy.
“They must understand that when arrives a big team it is difficult to say no. For this reason I say thank you to Jamie Vardy and his family, and to Riyad when they decided to stay here. For us it was important to maintain everybody.
“He was very important for us and I think he was even more important for us than at Chelsea because Chelsea have so many big players.”
Ranieri faces Chelsea having been boss at Stamford Bridge between 2000 and 2004 and managed against current Chelsea chief Antonio Conte while the pair were in Italy.
He added: “He (Conte) is a winner, but of course he needs time. The reality here is different from Italy and his job is bigger now. But he is right and I think he can lift some trophies.
“You need to understand the league and your players. The players must understand him and how he manages and how he changes, what he wants. I watch a good Chelsea so far.”
Schmeichel will sit out again as he recovers from the concussion he suffered on Friday which saw him miss Saturday’s 3-0 win over Burnley.
“Ron-Robert Zieler [played] a very good match. I [will] continue with him. I think Schmeichel is ready for the weekend,” he added, predicting the Dane’s likely return away to his father Peter’s former side Manchester United on Saturday
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