CHAMPIONS LEAGUE? IT’S MUSIC TO MY EARS

Ranieri loves the TV anthem and has told Foxes’ ‘underdogs’ to savour every moment of Euro trips

CLAUDIO RANIERI will tell his Leicester heroes to use the Champions League anthem for inspiration in the competition this season as they plot more shocks.

Last season’s surprise Premier League winners now have Europe’s elite in their sights. The Foxes were last night 50-1 to lift the trophy after being drawn with Porto, Bruges, and FC Copenhagen in Group G.

And Ranieri resorted to a familiar message: “Once again, I say we are underdogs. For this reason, we must fight for everything.”

Only a handful of Leicester’s players, including Christian Fuchs, Robert Huth, Marcin Wasilewski, Ahmed Musa and Gokhan Inler, have ever performed on the biggest stage in Europe.

Most, like star striker Jamie Vardy, have instead grown up watching the competition on TV and listening to the anthem on the box. But Ranieri, who previously took Chelsea to the semi-finals in 2004, said: “I’ve missed the Champions League – I love the song. I’ll tell my players to enjoy the music, it’s amazing. For all their life, they watch it on TV and now they will play – it’s different.

“It’s a very good gift to go around Europe. I hope it’s not just three trips – I hope we have more.

“I’m very proud, pleased a lot of fans will come with us around Europe.”

Ranieri used his experience to help Leicester over the line to an unforgettable title last term.

The Italian, 64, has now set City a target of eight to 10 points to get out of the group and progress into the knockout stages. He believes the competition will give the Foxes a chance to use their counter-attacking style, which proved so effective last term.

But he knows all the excitement and travelling will take a lot out of his rookie side in Europe.

He added: “Everybody’s waiting and I have to slow down everybody and relax them. I had very a good experience of the Champions League and can give my knowledge to them. It’s important they play free and fight.

“Football in the Champions League is different, you have to think more. There are so many champions, you have to keep possession of the ball very well.

“But we will try to do our best with our spirit. We can’t change our skin, it is not possible.”

Ranieri (left) had his best performance in the competition back in 2004, reaching the last four with Chelsea.

But the Blues crashed to a disastrous 3-1 away loss in the first leg at Monaco when the French side were reduced to 10 men in the 53rd minute, with the score 1-1, but still scored twice to win.

A 2-2 draw at home in the return leg at Stamford Bridge, despite going 2-0 up, saw Chelsea exit.

It left Ranieri, dubbed “The Tinkerman” back then, with a P45 before Jose Mourinho replaced him after winning the tournament with Porto.

But Ranieri insisted: “The semi-final with Chelsea was my outstanding memory, of course. We had the chance to reach the final, but football is strange and we lost there 3-1 and 2-2 at home. “That was my best year in the Champions League, but I want to

go forward again now.”