Stars aligned for Leicester in Champions League

JUST hours before Leicester City stormed into the knockout stages of the Champions League, a senior tabloid journalist asked why madcap Claudio Ranieiri was appointed manager of the Foxes.

Dave Kidd, chief sports writer of The Sun, is now attempting to retrieve a Wes Morgan-sized foot from his mouth after the Tinkerman’s English champions qualified for the last 16 of Europe’s most prized trophy with a game to spare. And, on top of that, conceding just one goal in the five matches they have played to date.

Bookies quote the Pre- mier League winners at 14-1 to reach the final, and join Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest as unfancied Midlands clubs to reach the final. This may be a good omen as both Villa and Forest – now languishing in the Championship – won the competition when it was known as the European Cup.

John McGovern, the Scottish midfielder who led Forest to both their European Cups, is impressed by Leicester’s Champion’s League performances, and offers an explanation for the Foxes’ erratic form in domestic competition.

“Leicester sailed through the group stage and were impressive. What the team need now is a bit of luck. It may be the Champion’s League, but luck still plays big part. All winners need that wee bit of luck,” he said.

But while their displays on the continent’s biggest stage have charmed most observers, it is Leicester’s form in the Premier League that is a constant cause for concern for Ranieri. At one stage, the Foxes had more points in the Champion’s League than they had in the Premiership.

McGovern takes a pragmatic view.

“In defence, Leicester are experienced, solid and can dig in and grind their way through times of stress. In attack, Premier defenders have maybe worked out how to play Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy. But in Europe, Mahrez has scored four goals in five games and if Vardy and Islam Slimani start scoring, even Barcelona or Real Madrid defenders are going to have a problem,” he said.

Vardy has gone 14 matches for the Foxes without scoring – almost a year to the day after breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Premier League record by netting in 11 consecutive matches – but the view in England is that once he re-opens his account, a flood of goals will come for the England striker.

Leicester conclude their Group G matches when they travel to European veterans Porto on December 7.