It seems that Kasper Schmeichel’s message to Claudio Ranieri in the wake of his sacking - 24 hours after the announcement was made - has triggered a domino effect.Riyad Mahrez posted three tweets about the Italian this afternoon - one of which was a picture of the pair - and was criticised for the lengthy delay by some fans.“Big respect to this great man who helped us achieve history,” Mahrez wrote about the man who helped turn him into a PFA Player of the Year winner. “You helped me build myself as a player and gave me the courage I needed.“You believed in me from day one. Huge thank you for everything and good luck. God bless.”

Ranieri’s legacy at Leicester City extends to more than just winning the Premier League. He earned his players bumper new contracts, new BMW i8 supercars, international caps and, in N’Golo Kante’s case, a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs.

Yet these same players have now been accused of stabbing Ranieri in the back.

Players attended a meeting with the owner

According to The Times, Schmeichel, Wes Morgan, Marc Albrighton and Jamie Vardy all attended a meeting with Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha after Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Sevilla in the Champions League that effectively ended Ranieri’s spell at the club.

Of course, it’s a strong allegation to say the four players were responsible for Ranieri’s departure. But one imagines that, in front of the owner and with the club 17th in the table, they were all pretty honest in their assessments of the 65-year-old.

Vardy's brilliant tribute

Vardy, whose tremendous efforts last season saw him included in England’s Euro 2016 squad, has followed Schmeichel and Mahrez’s path by posting his own tribute to Ranieri.

In it, the striker denies rumours he was involved in Ranieri’s sacking and thanked the Italian for believing in him “when many didn’t”.

Read Vardy’s tribute below.

The 29-year-old wrote: “I must have written and deleted my words to this post a stupid amount of times! I owed Claudio to find the right and appropriate words!

“Claudio has and always will have my complete respect! What we achieved together and as a team was the impossible! He believed in me when many didn't and for that I owe him my eternal gratitude.

“There is speculation I was involved in his dismissal and this completely untrue, unfounded and is extremely hurtful!

“The only thing we are guilty of as a team is underachieving which we all acknowledge both in the dressing room and publicly and will do our best to rectify.

“I wish Claudio the very very best in whatever the future holds for him. Thank You Claudio for everything.”

Was Claudio Ranieri stabbed in the back by his players? Let us know in the comments section below!