PUEL: TITLE GLORY HAS MADE IT TOUGH FOR ME

CLAUDE PUEL admits Leicester’s title success has made life hard for Claudio Ranieri’s successors at the King Power.

Ranieri made sporting history with the Foxes when he guided them to the title in 2016, despite 5,000-1 odds. The Italian is due to face his old employers for the first time tonight since his shock sacking in February 2017.

Craig Shakespeare and Puel have since bossed City with the Frenchman in charge since last October.

But Puel, who guided the club to ninth last term, knows achieving anything comparable with Ranieri’s heroics is virtually impossible.

The Foxes boss said: “It was not normal to win the title like this.

“You need circumstances to align, and come together at the same time. Afterwards, it’s difficult for people, because they think it’s easy to win like that.

“It’s very difficult to manage that situation – to give fans the same feeling. No one is prepared for what follows.

“A lot of people think it’s easy to perform and win the title, to play at the top of the table. But this title was early in the development of the club.

“After the title, it was difficult for all people to manage that.”

Puel knows tonight’s game will be “special” for new Fulham boss Ranieri against his old club. He reckons football is like “a drug” to the 67-year-old, who returned to the Premier League last month in west London.

Ranieri had a close bond with his Foxes stars before things turned sour in his second season amid complaints about his “Tinkering”.

The Italian coined famous phrases like “Dilly-Ding, DillyDong” and even gave squad bells for Christmas in a memorable first term.

Former Southampton boss Puel, whose Foxes side are enjoying a six-game unbeaten run, admits he may also give his players a Christmas present if they keep delivering on the pitch.

He added: “I will try to find something! I don’t know what.

“When we have a positive spiral in the team with success, success breeds success. We want to maintain this feeling and connection.”