Claudio Ranieri: 'Leicester City still underdogs'

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri kisses the Premier League trophy on May 8, 2016
© Getty Images
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri insists that his side will go into the new Premier League season as underdogs despite their status as defending champions.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has insisted that his side will go into the new season as underdogs despite their status as defending Premier League champions.

The Foxes overcame odds of 5,000-1 to clinch the title last term and now find themselves 33-1 to retain their crown during the 2016-17 campaign.

That puts Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur ahead of them in terms of title favourites, but Ranieri says that he will be happy as long as he gets "100%" from his players again.

"Now there are six big teams who want to win, they want to kill us. That is normal, it's football, but I don't want my players to ever give up against them or anybody," he told reporters.

"We can lose but I want to see them playing together as a team, helping each other. Suffer for your teammates, help your team. I know last season we did something that is hard to repeat, but I want the maximum from myself and everybody.

"We know very well we are the champions but we are the underdogs. If you are not 100%, give me a 100% of your 60%, then I am happy."

Leicester will take on Manchester United in the Community Shield on Sunday before opening the new Premier League campaign away to newly-promoted Hull City.

Who will win the 2016-17 Premier League title?

Arsenal
Chelsea
Leicester
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur
Other
Arsenal
11.1%
Chelsea
12.7%
Leicester
7.9%
Liverpool
12.7%
Manchester City
3.2%
Manchester United
47.6%
Tottenham Hotspur
3.2%
Other
1.6%
Claudio Ranieri and Kasper Schmeichel with the Premier League trophy on May 8, 2016
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2 ChinaChina105823
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2Bournemouth00000000
3Burnley00000000
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5Crystal Palace00000000
6Everton00000000
7Hull City00000000
8Leicester CityLeicester00000000
9Liverpool00000000
10Manchester CityMan City00000000
11Manchester UnitedMan Utd00000000
12Middlesbrough00000000
13Southampton00000000
14Stoke CityStoke00000000
15Sunderland00000000
16Swansea CitySwansea00000000
17Tottenham HotspurSpurs00000000
18Watford00000000
19West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom00000000
20West Ham UnitedWest Ham00000000