CLAUDIO NINE!

After his beloved Foxes go down, Ranieri is on the up again, this time with Cagliari

- JAMES NURSEY

HIS old club Leicester may have been relegated, but Claudio Ranieri is heading in the other direction after promotion with Serie B side Cagliari.

The 71-year-old boss was in tears after a dramatic play-off win following his return to the Sardinian club, where he first hit the big time as a coach over 30 years ago.

Ranieri took over in January as Fabio Liverani's successor when the club sat ninth and they went on to lose just two of 19 Serie B games to end the campaign in fifth.

That booked a playoff spot but the real drama was still to come - a 94thminute volley from striker Leonardo Pavoletti on Sunday night secured the team's place in Serie A next season at the expense of Bari.