Global Soccer: Leicester Accepts Its Dream May Be Real

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Riyad Mahrez, right, celebrating with teammates and fans after his goal from the edge of the penalty box after 56 minutes provided the winning margin in a 1-0 victory over Watford.

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Eddie Keogh/Reuters

LONDON — “The title is not ours,” said Leicester City Manager Claudio Ranieri. “Something special can happen, but we have to fight a lot, slowly, slowly.”

Those cautious words, said on television after Leicester’s latest win at Watford on Saturday, contained for the first time an acknowledgement from this wily old coach that the seemingly impossible could happen.

Ranieri has been in denial throughout this remarkable season. His mantra has been that the Foxes are a small club running just to survive and that he has been expecting them to be chased down by the pack, led by Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester City.

He is right, to the extent that it is still an implausible dream that a club the size of Leicester ever could win the…

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