It all began with paella ...but ended in despair
There is a fishy tale behind the cover of the matchday programme from the last occasion Leicester City faced Atletico Madrid.
Twenty years ago Ian Marshall posed in the Filbert Street stands with a huge bowl of paella and what appeared to be a big grin across his face. But the truth is slightly different.
‘I was at the training ground and they wanted me down at the stadium to take the photograph,’ Marshall told Sportsmail.
‘Someone had prepared the paella at about eight o’clock in the morning but I didn’t get down there until one o’clock in the afternoon. It had been left out in the sun and it absolutely stank. It was one of those — hold your breath and try to smile. I’m grimacing really!’
The picture resurfaced last month when the Champions League quarter-final draw was made. Also bubbling up again among fans were feelings of anguish after the controversial 1997 UeFA Cup first-round tie.
Leicester went out after a 2-0 home defeat that left Martin O’Neill enraged at the officiating. his side were denied three penalties and had Garry Parker sent off for a second yellow card when he took a quick free-kick at 0-0. Now they have a chance for revenge.
‘We should have gone on and won that game,’ says Marshall. Then, as now, the first leg was in Madrid. Marshall opened the scoring to give O’Neill’s side the belief that an upset could be on.
An unconventional throwback who could play centre back or
centre forward, Marshall converted Steve Walsh’s knockdown in the 11th minute.
‘It was not a worldie but a very sentimental goal, purely because of what it meant to everybody and the occasion. In my top five all-time,’ says Marshall. ‘It was five yards out, left foot, into the ground just to make a good connection and get it on target.
‘Then one of their players gave me a three-inch gash on the back of my leg that needed stitches and I couldn’t carry on. I was off after 30 minutes. They seemed to get on top after that and got two goals. But back at our place we were still positive.’
Manager O’Neill was convinced his team could overturn the 2-1 deficit in Leicester two weeks later.
Muzzy Izzet, who played over 200 games for Leicester, including both legs against Atletico, told ‘We had an amazing spirit. Martin created a sense of playing with your mates.
‘You couldn’t even call it work. That is probably why we overachieved. We went to Old Trafford and Anfield and won, why couldn’t we beat Atletico?’
After the second leg, however, a seething O’Neill said it was ‘ one we couldn’t win’ because of referee Remi Harrel. The French official had turned down two strong penalty appeals from Izzet by the time he dismissed Parker in the 65th minute.
‘It was nothing,’ says Izzet. ‘Garry just put the ball down, took a quick free-kick, and the goalkeeper saved it. The ref put his card up and did a gesture of, “No”. Then he realised he had already been booked. I think if he had known first he may not have given it. It was soft.
‘The sending- off knocked the wind out of us. We had to get the goal so we were chasing it but you leave yourself wide open to the counter attack.’
O’Neill was never shy of showing emotion in the dugout but in those closing minutes he was a tightly wound coil of energy, sinking to his haunches only to spring up.
When Izzet was denied a third penalty claim O’Neill blew his top. Late goals on the break from Juninho and Kiko sent Atletico through.
‘I think two of the three were penalties,’ says Izzet. ‘Martin said a few things towards the ref. He congratulated us, but said, “Some games you’re not meant to win”.’
Marshall adds: ‘Martin was like a jack rabbit on the sideline. He came in after the game and was very proud.’
UEFA agreed with O’Neill, taking Harrel off their referees’ list after the match.
Jamie Vardy showed in the last round that the modern Leicester are alert to the nuances of European officiating, but the odds are stacked against them.
Marshall believes they will struggle to get past Atletico.
‘I almost feel it would have been better playing Real Madrid because they give you a chance,’ he says ‘Leicester are good at hitting teams on the break, whereas Diego Simeone will have his team very well drilled at what Leicester do. He is not bothered about nicking a 1-0 win over two legs. It will be very difficult.’
Izzet is more optimistic. ‘Atletico will dominate the ball and that will be unusual for them,’ he says. ‘It might just create some openings for Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy to penetrate. It will be a chess match.
‘Leicester will need an away goal, to hit on the counter. Atletico will maybe try to put the game to bed at home. I have a sneaky feeling for Leicester. They have that same spirit we did.’