FOXES FIRED UP TO BEAT ODDS AGAIN
Not for the first time, Leicester City are tasked with confounding bookmakers as well as beating opponents.
Atletico Madrid are touted at 1-10 to progress to the Champions League semi-finals. Leicester? 5-1. A big price in a two-horse race.
the message is clear: Diego Simeone’s team, twice finalists in the last three years, are too experienced to let a 1-0 lead go at the King Power Stadium tonight.
But Craig Shakespeare knows Leicester’s capacity to defy expectations better than anyone.
As the only 5,000-1 shots to win the Premier League, belief will always be strong at this club and yesterday Shakespeare certainly gave that impression.
‘they’ve got it wrong in the past, let’s hope they’ve got it wrong again,’ he said when told of the bookmakers’ opinions. ‘We know we start as underdogs but we are comfortable with that. We know what we have to do. Let’s hope we earn people a few bob.’
Defender Christian Fuchs also believes that while Atletico have the know-how, Leicester have the motivation that comes from this, in all likelihood, being their only chance in this competition.
In tight moments, desperation might be the trump card.
‘We might never be here again,’ he said. ‘It is something very special to us, we are small Leicester play- ing in the Champions League. It is already great. Being in the quarterfinals is outstanding. We just enjoy the time we have.’
Simeone points out one specific advantage for his side. ‘the team playing away second gets 30 more minutes for an away goal should it go to extra time,’ he said. ‘the game will be decided on the smallest of details.’
A major cause of optimism for Leicester is Wes Morgan’s return to full training after being out injured since the victory over Sevilla on March 14. Morgan scored the opening goal in that pulsating win and with Robert Huth suspended, the Leicester captain’s presence would boost his team’s chances of overturning another first-leg deficit.
Shakespeare will make a final decision this morning on whether Morgan starts but he sounded positive yesterday.
‘With this type of injury, a back nerve problem, we want to make sure there is no reaction,’ said the Leicester manager. ‘ Wes has trained in the last three sessions and the intensity has been greater in each one. I’m really pleased in how he has progressed.’
tempering this buoyancy are the stats. Atletico have won 10 and drawn five of their last 21 Champions League away games. of the six they lost none was by more than a solitary goal. In the last three seasons only Real Madrid have stopped their city rivals in this competition, with Barcelona twice falling victim to Simeone’s side.
Having seen his team fail to register a shot on target in the Vicente Calderon, Shakespeare knows Leicester must change tactics to avoid the same fate.
‘offensively we need to create more,’ he said. ‘We are at home, we need to be more forceful than we were, but respectful of the opposition as well. A lot of the work has been done in the classroom rather than out on the grass. We will be ready mentally, physically and tactically.’