LONDON -- Claudio Ranieri paid tribute to the "amazing" welcome and guard of honour afforded him and his victorious Leicester City players by Chelsea on the final day of the season at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea extended the traditional courtesy to newly-crowned Premier League champions ahead of Sunday's 1-1 draw, and Ranieri was given the biggest cheer of all as he walked out onto the Stamford Bridge pitch behind his players.
After the match Ranieri revealed that he was welcomed as a champion by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich when the pair shook hands in the tunnel prior to kick-off, and said he was honoured by the show of respect from the club that sacked him as manager in May 2004.
A guard of honour for Leicester and Claudio Ranieri. 👏 https://t.co/hxOgd7vtwN
- Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 15, 2016
"The emotions were at the maximum because there was a fantastic welcome back from everybody -- from the owner Roman Abramovich when I met him, from the people when I went out [onto the pitch], the Leicester fans and the Chelsea fans," Ranieri said. "It was an amazing moment for me at the beginning but also at the end, when we said hello to everybody."
Danny Drinkwater's 30-yard shot cancelled out Cesc Fabregas' second-half penalty in a match conducted well below normal Premier League intensity, and Ranieri insisted that a draw was a fair result.
Roman Abramovich and Claudio Ranieri in the tunnel a short while ago. #CFC pic.twitter.com/O4lWwcYVDd
- Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 15, 2016
"We wanted to keep a clean sheet, to help Kasper [Schmeichel] go to a 16th clean sheet of the season," he added. "It was impossible. In the first half, Chelsea created a lot of chances but the second half we played better. I am pleased with our character.
"Now we have to do something in Leicester, then we fly to China and then we have a break. Then I can realise what happened this season -- maybe!"