Atletico’s Simeone impressed with aggressive Vardy

London – When Jamie Vardy (right) pictured himself making history in the Champions League, the record he set in Leicester City’s loss to Atletico Madrid was probably not what he had in mind.

The England striker came off during last week’s quarterfinal first leg at the Vicente Calderon having completed none of his two attempted passes, in what is thought to have been a Champions League first.

Leicester’s 1-0 defeat left Atletico in charge of the tie ahead of tonight’s return leg, but with Vardy now back among the goals, his team-mates hope more memorable milestones are ahead.

Having scored 24 goals last season in Leicester’s 5 000/1 Premier League title win, Vardy found the net only five times in the first 22 games this season as his side slithered down the table.

But since Claudio Ranieri’s dismissal as manager, he has been a man reborn, taking his tally to six goals in seven league games in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace.

His return has been a central component of Leicester’s renaissance under Craig Shakespeare, as witnessed in their last-16 second-leg victory over Sevilla.

Vardy’s aggressive pressing set the tone for Leicester’s 2-0 win and he succeeded in getting Samir Nasri sent off for aiming a headbutt at him, an incident that left the Frenchman branding him a “a cheat”.

At the age of 30 and with Leicester not expected to qualify for the Champions League again in the foreseeable future, Tuesday’s game may represent Vardy’s last chance to leave a mark on the competition.

Unsurprisingly, he has an admirer in Atletico coach Diego Simeone.

“I like him. I rate him,” said the former Argentine bruiser.

“As a striker he is the kind of powerful striker Atletico have always had. He stretches the game and is always fighting to stop the opponent playing out from the back so he can pounce on any mistake.” –