It’s an unlikely top-of-the-table clash but Leicester City will go into this weekend’s game against Manchester United brimming with confidence.
In manager Claudio Ranieri, they have a man who will in no way be intimidated by pitting his wits against United boss Louis van Gaal, given that he may in fact be something of a bogey opponent for the Dutchman.
The Italian has gone up against Van Gaal on several occasions in the past, and he recounted one particular series of games when he was in charge of La Liga side Valencia.
Ranieri met Van Gaal’s Barcelona three times in the space of ten days back in 1999, winning both legs of a Copa del Rey quarter-final before completing the humbling with a league win at the Camp Nou.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I remember it well. On February 18th, 3-2 at Barcelona in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey. On the 24th, 4-3 to us at the Mestalla in the return leg and the 27th 4-2 at the Camp Nou in La Liga.
“At the end of the season we won the Copa del Rey, beating Atletico Madrid 3-0 in the final. We had a great squad.”
With Leicester flying in the table and Jamie Vardy on a superb run of form, Ranieri will hope he can maintain his impressive record over Van Gaal when the two managers meet on Saturday.
