Maddison helps Foxes stop rot as Legia supporters rampage
CROWD violence blighted Leicester’s progress to the brink of the Europa League knockout stages as Legia Warsaw supporters fought battles with police leaving both clubs facing a UEFA investigation. Patson Daka, James Maddison and Wilfred Ndidi’s first-half goals meant Leicester will need only a point at Napoli next month to guarantee qualification from their group, but incidents off the field overshadowed events on it for the second time in European competition here this season. Leicester were fined £17,000 by UEFA for crowd trouble during their 2-2 draw with Napoli in September and the governing body are certain to look into what happened in this game. Midway through the second half, groups of the 1,134 supporters housed in the away end attempted to reach Leicester fans by storming through the lines of security that separated them. Dozens of police dressed in riot gear managed to push the Legia fans back after a battle that lasted about 10 minutes, and saw missiles launched towards the police and the Leicester fans. On the pitch, Maddison produced a display to get Leicester fans cheering again after manager Brendan Rodgers had demanded greater backing from supporters. Rodgers was reacting to boos that greeted their 3-0 home defeat by Chelsea last weekend but this time he said: ‘The atmosphere was amazing and the supporters played a huge part. You see the push they give the team and when they’re like that it’s brilliant, it gives the players energy.’ Either side of Filip Mladenovic’s strike for Legia, Maddison curled in Leicester’s second and then his corner created the third for Ndidi. The England playmaker has struggled to maintain top form since a hip injury in February and will hope this is his breakthrough. Maddison said: ‘I am hungry. I want to do well for my team, fans, family and the manager. I want to get back to my best and tonight I showed that. ‘When you are an attacking player, goals and assists are what you want and that is what I am about. It feels good.’ Leicester will face sterner opposition, notably on Sunday when Watford boss Claudio Ranieri returns to King Power Stadium for the first time since being sacked just nine months after leading Leicester to the Premier League title in 2016. Yet after the Chelsea hammering, this was a welcome result for the FA Cup winners. They were forced into a late change with Daniel Amartey replacing Jonny Evans, who complained of a thigh injury, yet Leicester started sharply and Daka fired them ahead in the 11th minute. It was his fifth goal in as many Europa League appearances for Leicester and remarkably made him the club’s all-time top scorer in European football. Leicester doubled their lead in the 21st minute when Maddison twisted on to his left foot before planting a fine strike beyond Cezary Miszta. Legia were gifted a way back into the game as Caglar Soyuncu headed a cross against the flailing arm of team-mate Ndidi. Although Kasper Schmeichel
saved Mahir Emreli’s penalty, Mladenovic tapped home the rebound. Rodgers looked unusually agitated on the sidelines but his mood improved when Ndidi rose above Miszta to nod in Maddison’s inswinging corner. Harvey Barnes squandered the chance for a fourth midway through the second half and soon after several flares were let off in the Legia end, the trouble began.