Jose Mourinho has admitted that Claudio Ranieri was the deserved winner of FIFA's World Coach of the Year award following his success with Leicester City last season.
The Italian capped a memorable year by winning the individual accolade in January's star-studded ceremony in Zurich, seeing off competition from Fernando Santos and Zinedine Zidane.
Manchester United boss Mourinho believes that Ranieri's achievement in 2015-16, when guiding 5,000/1 outsiders Leicester to the Premier League title, is something that was never going to be replicated this time around.
"What Leicester did is one of the big things in the world of football," he told reporters. "I think nobody, even them, would expect to be champion again. What they did was unique, so unique that Claudio deserved to be named best manger in world. It was amazing what they did. I don't think it would be possible to do it for a second season, especially playing Champions League at the same time.
"Champions League is very hard. They were working one match per week, competing domestically against teams who were playing in the Champions League and not like that now. That is big big difference for them. So no one expect them, not even them, to be fighting for the title again.
"But the manager is there, the players there, the team there, they're a very good team and this is a very difficult match for us. Also a very difficult match for them. I have total respect for them, what they did and the change of life. I think next season will be much better for them. This is new – Champions League and being champion is a lot."
Mourinho's United side travel to the King Power Stadium to face Leicester on Sunday afternoon, looking to make up the four-point deficit on the top four.
Daniel Lewis
