No rift with Abramovich, says Ranieri

Claudio Ranieri today insisted there is no rift with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

The Chelsea boss was quoted in Spanish newspaper Marca as saying “I already have the Abramovich sword embedded in me. I’m convinced that even if I win the Champions League I will be sacked. Abramovich knows nothing about football. That’s the real shame.”

However, a statement from his agents First Artist denied Ranieri used any such phrase.

The statement said: “Claudio Ranieri would like to make it clear that contrary to the alleged statements in today’s article in Marca he has the highest regard for Roman Abramovich and everything he is trying to achieve for Chelsea.

“This is a complete misinterpretation of an interview done three weeks ago and should not be taken seriously. The only thing that should be taken seriously is tonight’s game.

“Claudio loves Chelsea and will not let this distract him from focusing on a successful season.”

Ranieri’s representatives says the Chelsea boss had said that Abramovich knew nothing about football until he went to a game in Manchester last year, but that now he was hooked.

Vicenzo Morabito, Ranieri’s Italian agent, also insisted he still wants to stay at the Blues.

Morabito told BBC Radio Five Live: “At the moment we are not talking to any other clubs. He has a three-year deal with Chelsea and we believe at the moment he is going to stay. If Chelsea FC decide something else we will look around somewhere else.”

Meanwhile, the Professional Footballers’ Association have invited Ranieri to be guest of honour at their annual awards dinner in London next Sunday.

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said: “The players have been highly impressed by Claudio’s dignity and demeanour and the stature he has achieved in the game despite great pressure in his job.”

Ranieri has taken Blues to the semi finals of the Champions League and second place in the Premiership despite the shadow of the axe over his head.

“It is not always easy to put a team together just because you are given large amounts of money to buy players and Claudio has caught the imagination here,” said Taylor.