Foxes to find out Conference League opponents

LEICESTER City could travel to the edge of the Arctic Circle or into Asia when they discover their Europa Conference League opponents on Monday afternoon, writes Jordan Blackwell.

City have dropped into Uefa’s third-tier competition after defeat to Napoli on Thursday night knocked them out of the Europa League.

They will resume their journey on the continent in the Conference League, and could travel to north Norway or all the way to Azerbaijan to face their next opponent.

City go into the knockout play-off round and can face one of eight sides in a two-legged tie on February 17 and 24.

The sides they can face are those that finished second in the group stage, with seven of the eight teams decided.

As well as a rematch with Slavia Prague, who knocked them out of the Europa League last season, City could also play Norway’s Bodo/ Glimt, Azerbaijan’s Qarabag, Denmark’s Randers, Israel’s Maccabi Tel-Aviv,

Serbia’s Partizan Belgrade, and Greece’s PAOK.

The final of the eight teams will be Tottenham or Dutch side Vitesse, depending on whether Tottenham win their postponed fixture against Rennes.

If it is Spurs that reach the knockout rounds, City won’t be able to draw them at this stage. The draw is due to take place from 1pm on Monday. Before entering the competition, City boss Brendan Rodgers will have to do some swotting up, admitting he knows very little about the competition.

He said: “I don’t know anything about it, in all fairness.

“My focus was on winning this group or at the very least finishing second, so without being disrespectful to that, I haven’t looked at that side of that draw or that competition.

“It’s European football after Christmas. It will be another experience for us.

“There are some really good teams so when we look at it after we put this to bed, we will look forward to that challenge, but otherwise I haven’t given it too much thought.”