Mourinho pays tribute to axed Leicester boss Ranieri

Jose Mourinho voiced his support and appreciation for Claudio Ranieri after the Leicester City manager was sacked on Thursday.

“Nobody can delete the history you (Ranieri) wrote,” Jose Mourinho (left) wrote on Instagram.

From the king of Leicester to another manager on the Premier League scrapheap, Claudio Ranieri sensationally lost his job on Thursday but received the support of his peers, including Jose Mourinho. Leicester showed there is no room for sentiment on Thursday when it sacked Premier League-winning boss Ranieri.

Ranieri and Leicester had produced one of the greatest and remarkable feats in professional sport when they hoisted the Premier League trophy aloft in May but with relegation a real threat, the club's hierarchy decided to act in brutal fashion, despite Wednesdays' encouraging 2-1 Champions League first-leg loss at Sevilla.

The Italian's dismissal has sparked outrage among managers, ex-players and pundits, and Manchester United boss Mourinho - who succeeded Ranieri at Chelsea in 2004 - paid tribute to his counterpart famously known as the 'Tinkerman' on social media. "CHAMPION OF ENGLAND and FIFA MANAGER of THE YEAR.sacked," Mourinho wrote on Instagram .

"That's the new football Claudio. Keep smiling AMICO. Nobody can delete the history you wrote."

Ranieri departs Leicester with the side 17th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone as it prepares to host Liverpool on Monday. Leicester, though, is in contention to qualify for the Champions League quarterfinals with its last-16 tie in the balance.