Shakespeare eager to get Foxes back into Europe

LEICESTER City manager Craig Shakespeare said his side’s remarkable run to the Champions League quarterfinals left his players determined to return to Europe’s top table as soon as possible.

Appearing in the tournament for the first time Leicester cruised through the group phase and sank Europa League champions Sevilla in the last 16 before falling to Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals.

With Leicester 12th in the Premier League it may be some time before they rub shoulders with Europe’s elite again, but Shakespeare said that would now be the objective.

“I hope the benefit is they want some more of it,” he told reporters at the King Power Stadium after Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Atletico resulted in a 2-1 aggregate defeat.

“They’re very disappointed, but they can be proud of what they’ve achieved and we can be proud of how we’ve conducted ourselves. They should want more of this.”

Shakespeare, 53, has had a stunning impact since succeeding the sacked Claudio Ranieri, steering Leicester clear of the relegation zone and masterminding a 2-0 second-leg win over Sevilla.

He is only under contract until the end of the season and said he was looking forward to sitting down with the club’s Thai owners, the King Power travel retail group, to discuss his future.

“It’s not in my hands. It’s in the club’s hands,” he said.

Atletico went 2-0 up on aggregate when Saul Niguez headed in Filipe Luis’s cross midway through the first half, but a half-time switch by Shakespeare threatened to provide a route back into the tie for Leicester.

With Marc Albrighton and Ben Chilwell deployed as wing-backs, Leicester pinned Atletico back and drew level on the night when Jamie Vardy slammed in from close-range.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone was generous in his praise of his side’s opponents.

Shakespeare’s tactical change was “fantastic”, he said, and it had been “almost a pleasure to compete” against Leicester.

“They never gave up. They never let their heads drop,” he said. “We were living in fear all night. They pushed us all the way.”— AFP