Shakespeare ‘did not plot to remove Ranieri’

Interim manager quells talk of rift with Italian Leicester urged not to lose control at Atletico

Craig Shakespeare is preparing for the biggest game in Leicester City’s 133-year history but the presence of his predecessor Claudio Ranieri is providing an unwelcome distraction for the interim manager.

On the eve of the club’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Atlético Madrid, Shakespeare was forced to insist that his conscience was clear amid suggestions from Ranieri that a member of the Italian’s backroom staff had been working against him before he was sacked in February.

Ranieri, who lost his job nine months after winning the Premier League, broke his silence over his dismissal on Monday by claiming that someone within the club had plotted his dismissal.

Though Ranieri refused to identify the alleged culprit, the comments raised the question of whether Shakespeare was involved as Ranieri was claimed to have marginalised his former assistant this season.

However, at the Vicente Calderón Stadium yesterday, Shakespeare staunchly defended his relationship with Ranieri and insisted they did not fall out before or after the latter’s dismissal. “I am quite comfortable with my conscience, so I can’t do anything about that,” Shakespeare said.

“Free speech is there for anybody, I don’t have a problem with it. [After he left] I spoke to him and he thanked me for my time. I thanked him and there has never been any falling out. It’s football and I am glad to see that he is enjoying his football again.

“My stance is still the same. We never had a falling out. I haven’t seen the interview live, but I think I have answered the question.”

It was an uncomfortable moment for Shakespeare, who has won six of his seven matches since replacing Ranieri as manager, and an unwanted aside to a pivotal game.

The only English club left in the Champions League, Leicester face their most significant test in the competition to date against Diego Simeone’s team, who lost last season’s final to Real Madrid.

Leicester started their Champions League adventure as 100-1 outsiders to win the competition but have performed like European veterans to reach the quarter-finals.

The stakes will especially be high for the visitors in Atlético’s bear pit, with Jamie Vardy, Robert Huth and Islam Slimani one booking away from a suspension that would rule them out of the second leg at the King Power Stadium.

“We are very well disciplined as a team but, yes, the players will be reminded about their responsibilities and not to get any stupid cards for things like encroaching,” Shakespeare said.

“It is something we will talk about with the players. Playing in the Champions League has been a new experience for us but we have enjoyed it. We are there to compete and not make the numbers up. These players have earned their opportunity and we intend to keep that going on Wednesday night.”

Atlético have lost only three games in the past 25 and are third in La Liga, one place above Sevilla, whom Leicester defeated over two legs in the round of 16.

Antoine Griezmann, the France international with 23 club goals this season, is the danger man but their squad contains several other stars, including the Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak and the attacking midfielder Saúl Ñíguez.

But Simeone has warned that Vardy could be equally dangerous for Leicester, given the England international’s return to form under Shakespeare.

“I like him, I really rate him as a striker,” the Argentine said. “He is the kind of powerful striker Atlético have had. He also gives the team a lot of depth, and makes life really difficult for defenders to get the ball out. He is very dangerous and if we make any mistakes, he will punish us. Last season he was very consistent, very good. This season, as we all know, he was struggling a little bit at the start but now he seems to be back.”

For many Leicester players, the journey to the Champions League has been circuitous.

Vardy was playing non-League football in 2012. Two years earlier, the goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was turning out for Notts County in League Two, but is now regarded as one of the best in his position in Europe.

“When you look at the DNA of our team, the type of characters and the journeys, the lower league rejections, these are the kind of nights you want,” said the Danish international. “When I was in League Two, playing these games was what I was wanting to aim for. The big pressure games like this. This is what you live for, what you play for.”

Schmeichel is hoping to exact some revenge for those fans who remember the last match between these sides, a first-round Uefa Cup tie in 1997 that Atlético won 4-1 on aggregate. “Leicester’s European history is not exactly extensive, so we are aware of the games against Atlético and are hoping for a better outcome.”

Wes Morgan, the captain, has travelled to Madrid but misses out with a back injury. The £15million signing, Wilfred Ndidi, has recovered from a groin problem and is expected to start in midfield.

Meanwhile, there were reports last night of clashes between Leicester fans and police in the centre of Madrid.