Tottenham and Arsenal have been handed a boost in the Premier League title race with Leicester midfielder N'Golo Kante being ruled out of the league leaders' next two matches.
The 24-year-old came off during Leicester's 1-0 win over Norwich on Saturday and is set to miss the Foxes' games against West Brom and Watford.
Leicester face the Baggies two points ahead of Tottenham in the league after Spurs' 2-1 comeback victory over Swansea on Sunday with Arsenal five points behind after losing 3-2 at Manchester United.
Andy King is expected to replace Kante, but Ranieri feels the impressive French midfielder will not return before they head to Watford on Saturday.
He said: "We lose him for the next two matches. I hope only two. It's a little painful, he suffered during all of the season and now we want to give him some rest. Two matches and he can restart.
"All the season he had a problem with the other leg and now this time the new leg. Maybe he made a compensation and charged too much on the other leg.
"He has been extraordinary but I am very confident because we played King and he has started very well. I am very confident with him.
"Let me now play and then I will tell you what I will lose [from Kante]. N'Golo recovers a lot of balls but not only this, he starts the counter-attack. I am very confident Drinky [Danny Drinkwater] and Kingy could be the same, they are doing very well."
Kante has featured in every league game for the Foxes this season, making 30 appearances and scoring once in November's 2-1 win over Watford.
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Despite Spurs staying close to Leicester, Ranieri insisted he is not interested in their rivals' results and paid little attention to events at White Hart Lane and Old Trafford.
"I was with my family, I didn't watch, when I came back I was very focused on West Brom. It's always important what we are doing, not the others," he added.
