Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri admits Europe was never mentioned in preseason - never mind a Premier League title.

Ranieri replaced Nigel Pearson last summer and first met the Leicester squad on their pre-season training camp in Austria. He admitted he never spoke to them about qualifying for Europe despite believing it was possible.

He said: "When I was in Austria I watched what kind of group we had. I am very sensitive to understand the feeling between the players and the dressing room. I said to them, 'It is difficult to understand 25 people. It is important you understand only me. If we link very well we can do something good.'

"But never I put the minimum goal, always I put the maximum, always to try to get three points. It was important to save the team.

"Never I said we can arrive in Europe. But it was in my mind. It was the first time I coach this team, it is important understand in the right moment, in the bad moment, what happened, why the players have the good consistency. There were lot of questions but everything was okay."

Back then Ranieri was one of the favourites to be sacked at the start of the season but joked he should avoid the bookies' tip next year.

Ranieri added: "Maybe the bookmakers don't sack me (first). Maybe the second!"