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Riyad Mahrez scored twice in Leicester's opening day win. Paul Harding
on fire

Claudio Ranieri channelled Kasabian for his pre-match team talk

“The fans love fighters. We are fighters.

LEICESTER MANAGER CLAUDIO Ranieri said his team’s 4-2 win over Sunderland in their Premier League opener had been inspired by the music of local band Kasabian.

Kasabian are well-known Leicester fans and their rousing hit song ‘Fire’ is played before matches at the club’s King Power Stadium.

Experienced Italian coach Ranieri, 63, said the song had fired his players up prior to kick-off and suggested that Kasabian guitarist Sergio Pizzorno’s Italian heritage may have also played a part.

“I think I know the Leicester fans very well. They are (passionate) supporters and I told my players, ‘When you go on the pitch and you hear the song from Kasabian, that means they want warriors,’” he told the club website.

Kasabian are a fantastic rock band from Leicester and I think the guitar man, Serge, is Italian. It’s good and I think they (the fans) love fighters. We are fighters. I’m very pleased with the performance of the players.

“I wanted fighters and warriors and this is important for me because there will be matches where you draw or lose, because this is football. You have to fight, and they did fight.”

Ranieri was appointed on a three-year contract in July following the dismissal of Nigel Pearson.

© AFP, 2015

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