Leicester City players were left amazed earlier in the season when they returned to their dressing room after a rare away win to find then manager Claudio Ranieri hurling butter into the bin, according to reports.

Ranieri was sacked by Leicester after their 2-1 defeat to Seville in the Champions League, just nine months after he led them to the Premier League title.

The Italian reportedly lost the confidence of several of his senior players in his second season at the club and left many nonplussed with a newfound obsession with his players’ diets.

This culminated in Ranieri raiding a table of snacks that had been laid out for his squad at one away match and throwing several knobs of butter into the bin, according to The Times.

Leicester’s players were reportedly amazed to return to the away dressing room at full-time to find Ranieri raiding the snacks table, rather than celebrating their victory.

Ranieri was dismissed 298 days after lifting the Premier League (Getty)

The club won just two away matches under Ranieri in his second season at the club prior to his dismissal. They beat Club Brugge 3-0 in the Champions League in September and a brace from Ahmed Musa saw them defeat Everton 2-1 at Goodison Park, in the FA Cup.

Ranieri’s approach to health and nutrition in his crisis-plagued second campaign at the King Power Stadium contrasts starkly with the club’s title-winning season, when he rewarded his team with fast food whenever they managed to keep a clean sheet.

Leicester City Premier League bus parade Show all 15 1 /15 Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade Claudio Ranieri leads Leicester's celebrations as the bus parade begins at Jubilee Square. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade Young Leicester fans enjoy a kick-a-bout before the parade. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade Ranieri presents the Premier League trophy that Leicester won earlier this month. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade Some Leicester fans arrived at Victoria Park as early as Monday morning. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade A giant picture of Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy appears in the city. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade Claudio Ranieri masks were a familiar sight. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade The buses moved through thousands of fans lining the streets of Leicester. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade The party spirit engulfed some fans more than others. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade But everyone was keen to celebrate Leicester's success in some way. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade The word 'Champions' was printed onto every flag, banner and sign in sight. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade The parade took place on a glorious evening in clear skies. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade One fans decided to take a stuffed fox on a skateboard with him. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade The Leicester player enjoyed every second of the parade. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade Pizza balloons were released into the air in recognition of Claudio Ranieri's promise to buy his squad pizza if they won. Getty Leicester City Premier League bus parade Leicester bus parade It took four buses to get the club's players and staff through the streets. Getty

"I want to buy pizza but my players don't want pizza, maybe they don't love pizza," Ranieri said last season after his club beat Aston Villa 3-2.

"Because I said when we make a clean sheet, I will buy everybody a pizza. Maybe they wait until I say 'Okay, a good dinner'.