Ranieri praises City despite loss
London: Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri says his side’s performance was good despite losing 3-0 to Chelsea at the King Power Stadium. Marcos Alonso scored twice as Chelsea move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League, despite Diego Costa’s absence. The Blues were without their top scorer after a training ground dispute over his fitness, amid reports he has been offered a lucrative move to China. That saga did not affect them at the King Power Stadium, however, with Eden Hazard setting up Alonso to fire home after only six minutes. The Spanish wing-back added his second early in the second half when his shot from the edge of the area was deflected in. Pedro made sure of the points with a deft header from Willian’s cross. -BBC and some of his backroom staff were involved in a dispute with Costa.
“I have read a lot of speculation about this topic and I can tell you if there are problems – and I repeat ‘if’ – with players, I am used to solving them in the changing room, not outside, not in press conferences,” said Conte.
Speaking earlier to Sky Sports, Conte said: “Before the game I told the truth, I don’t lie.” Asked again later why Costa did not travel to the King Power Stadium with his Chelsea team-mates, Conte replied: “If you want to know the truth, I’m ready to tell the truth. “On Tuesday during the training session Diego stopped because he felt a pain in his back. “From that moment he didn’t train during the week. For this reason today he wasn’t available. “This is the reason, the truth.” Costa is believed to have been the subject of a lucrative offer from an unnamed Chinese club that would earn the striker around £30m per year, but Conte pleaded ignorance. “I don’t know anything about this,” he said. “The club did not inform me about this. That can be only speculation.” -The Guardian steered a lovely shot into the corner, before Arda Turan made it 4-0. Aleix Vidal’s first goal for the club, placed into the corner from a Paco Alcacer pass, completed the rout. Elsewhere in La Liga yesterday, Nicolas Gaitan’s eighth-minute goal strengthened Atletico Madrid’s hold on fourth place as they beat Real Betis 1-0, while the day’s other two matches ended 0-0, as Athletic Bilbao were held at Leganes and Villarreal drew away to Deportivo La Coruna. -BBC