Leicester seek to continue European stroll
LONDON: Leicester City have turned their debut season in the Champions League into a cakewalk and victory over FC Copenhagen tonight would seal their place in the last 16.
A narrow win over Copenhagen a fortnight ago made Leicester one of only five group stage debutants to win their first three games and should they make it four from four and Porto fail to beat Club Brugge they will secure top spot in Group G.
That would, in likelihood, spare them a clash with one of the big guns in the first knockout round when the competition begins again in the new year.
How Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, England’s other three representatives, would like to be in that position with two group games to spare?
Yet Leicester’s European form has been in stark contrast to their domestic performances as they struggled to adjust to wearing the English champions’ crown.
A 1-1 draw at Tottenham at the weekend, their first away point in the Premier League this season, following on from a home win over Crystal Palace has hinted at a return to the kind of resilience that took them to an historic title last season. Leicester are one of only four teams – Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Sevilla being the others – yet to concede a goal in the Champions League this season although Copenhagen had their chances at the King Power Stadium where they were beaten 1-0.
That defeat was the only loss in 24 matches in all competitions for the Danish champions who will still feel they have a great chance of progressing to the knockout phase for the second time, following their run in 2010-11.
All the more reason why coach Stale Solbakken is angry that his side had to play a Danish league game on Sunday – a 3-1 victory over FC Midtjylland. “It’s suicide for Danish football that we have to play a game like this on Sunday evening,” Norwegian Solbakken, whose side are level with Porto on four points, said.
“Our opponents in Wednesday’s Champions League group game could start preparing for the game on Saturday.”
Leicester will be without midfielder Nampalys Mendy (ankle), while Islam Slimani (groin) and Ahmed Musa (knock) will be assessed ahead of the game at Parken Stadium.
Copenhagen will be hoping Federico Santander can continue a run of form that has helped him score six goals in his last seven matches in all competitions, including two at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld and striker Harry Kane remain unavailable for the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen, manager Mauricio Pochettino said yesterday.
Kane had been rated “50-50” to be fit for tonight’s game at Wembley while Belgian Alderweireld has missed the last four games with a knee injury.
“Tomorrow Harry will not be available, no. He will not be on the bench,” Pochettino told reporters. “It’s good to see him do the warm up with the team, and be involved. He made half a training session. Then it was a specific training session for him, and for Toby it was the same,” the Argentine added.
Tottenham play Arsenal in the North London derby in the league on Sunday.
“We expect maybe Thursday Harry can do full training. Toby, maybe, but he has some other problem,” Pochettino said. Forward Erik Lamela, who has featured in 14 of Spurs’ 15 games this season, is also struggling.
“Erik Lamela had a problem with his hip during training today and we are not sure if he will be involved tomorrow,” Pochettino said.
Pochettino, whose side are without a victory in five games in all competitions, said it was a must-win game for Spurs if they want to progress past the group stage. – Reuters