Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez greets the public as he leaves the pitch during the UEFA Champions League football match between Club Brugge and Leicester City at Jan Breydelstadion on September 14, 2016, in Bruges, Belgium.
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Marc Albrighton opened the scoring with Leicester’s first shot on goal and Riyad Mahrez hit a brace as the Foxes opened up their Champions League account with a victory.
The Algeria worldwide and Leicester have not had the best of starts to the new Premier League season, but Ranieri says he has a theory as to why his player burst into life against Brugge.
“It was an important win for us”, said Ranieri.
“It was some feeling, something I never thought I’d achieve”, said Albrighton, who has won a Premier League medal, played against Barcelona and now scored in the Champions League since being released by Aston Villa two years ago. The Reds dominated the game as the Foxes were no match for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who played their first match of the campaign at home. They tried to find a right solution but it was very hard. We have taken confidence.
Mahrez added a third from the penalty spot in the second period after another misplaced pass led to Vardy being tripped inside the box by Butelle, and if teams on the continent were not already aware of Leicester’s quality then they certainly will be now. “If teams take us lightly it only plays to our advantage – I’m sure that won’t be the case”.
Club Brugge’s miserable night was summed up when the woodwork denied Izquierdo from grabbing a consolation goal, meaning Leicester were also able to celebrate a clean sheet on a famous night in their history. “He was a lucky man!”
“Maybe the music wake up him. Maybe he is very exhausted of listening to dilly-ding, dilly-dong and prefers the Champions League music”. “He was very good”. The Brugge defence misjudged a long throw-in and the winger only had to steer the ball into an empty net.
Leicester, who are 16th in the English top flight standings with four points from four games, also face Porto, and FC Copenhagen in their Champions League group.
There was little to suggest they would change after the break as record buy Islam Slimani, making his debut, began to threaten, although he was booked for a needless push on Bjorn Engels which saw the defender substituted with a serious looking shoulder injury.
This is an important moment in seeing how Leicester’s depth from summer signings affects the team going into a busy stretch of games with Burnley on the horizon this upcoming weekend and a midweek visit to Stamford Bridge in the EFL Cup next Wednesday. It’s not easy but it’s okay.
It’s the first time the Foxes have ever faced a Belgian side (ever) and the first time Club Brugge has faced an English team in the group stages.
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“You’ve just got to turn up and make sure you’re on the ball when the game time comes, and hopefully pick the wins up”.
