Claudio Ranieri has said "his dream died" after being sacked by Leicester City on Thursday, just nine months after leading them to a stunning Premier League triumph.
Ranieri's tenure came to an end after Wednesday's 2-1 defeat to Sevilla in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie and with the Midlands club just one point above the relegation zone.
Leicester's decision to part with Ranieri has attracted widespread condemnation and dismay from the football world.
And, in a statement, Ranieri made no attempt to hide his disappointment, saying: "Yesterday my dream died. After the euphoria of last season and being crowned Premier League champions all I dreamt of was staying with Leicester City, the club I love, for always.
"Sadly this was not to be."
Thanking his family and his staff, Ranieri added: "I wish to thank my wife Rosanna and all my family for their never-ending support during my time at Leicester.
"My thanks go to [backroom staff members] Paolo [Benetti] and Andrea [Azzalin] who accompanied me on this wonderful journey. [And] To [Ranieri's agents] Steve Kutner and Franco Granello for bringing me the opportunity to become a champion.
"Mostly I have to thank Leicester City Football Club. The adventure was amazing and will live with me forever. Thank you to all the journalists and the media who came with us and enjoyed reporting on the greatest story in football.
"My heartfelt thanks to everybody at the club, all the players, the staff, everybody who was there and was part of what we achieved. But mostly to the supporters. You took me into your hearts from day one and loved me. I love you too."
‘Milan didn’t collapse against Liverpool in Istanbul. We lost focus for six minutes – for the other 114, we played an extraordinary, beautiful game’: AC legend claims they were 'extraordinary' against Reds in 2005 Champions League final
‘Charlton could have qualified for Europe, but selling Scott Parker to Chelsea made the difference. The manager didn’t want him to go and there was a disagreement’: Former Addicks star highlights key reason why they failed to maintain 2003/04 form
