Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has revealed his admiration for Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri.
The Two Italians set to face each other for the first time in the Premier League when Chelsea take on Fulham on Sunday. Sarri has known Ranieri for a long time having met him first when he was in the charge of Florentina in the Serie-A.
Fulham registered their second win in the Premier League as the Cottagers shrugged off the challenge of Southampton as Ranieri made a winnings start to his Cottagers career.
Owner Shahid Khan replaced Slavisa Jokanovic with Ranieri following a poor start to the current season. Ranieri visited Sarri at Chelsea’s Cobham Ground to exchange pleasantries long ago and now will travel to the Stamford Bridge which used to his old hunting ground.
Sarri said, “Friend is a big word but I like him (Ranieri) very much. I visited him in Florence 20 years ago. I think he doesn’t remember this meeting but it was very important for me.
“He visited us around 40 days ago to see our training. He spoke to me and Gianfranco (Zola).
“Of course. I think he is very able in the defensive phase and very dangerous on the counter-attack, like with Leicester.
“So it will not be easy to play a Ranieri team.”
