Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri admits that he urged his side to savour and be inspired by the pre-match Champions League anthem as the Foxes began their European adventure with a crushing victory over Club Brugge.
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A Hernandez long throw from the right caused chaos in the penalty box, with Club Brugge goalkeeper Ludovic Butelle racing out only to miscue his punch, and the ball was flicked on by Vanaken for Albrighton to convert into the empty net.
Ranieri also let slip some inner frustrations with Mahrez as he talked about Leicester’s penalty. Another momentous week in the extraordinary recent history of Leicester City ends tomorrow with the prospect of a seemingly mundane Premier League game.
“He just said “this is what we do”, he’s said his team is going to play with energy”.
‘I want to see how we respond, ‘ Ranieri said.
It can not be overlooked, however, that Brugge have only won two of their first six matches of the new league season and lack the financial wherewithal to meaningfully compete at the elite-level of the European game.
“I said from the beginning the Champions League will be an experience for us – we hope to get through and play again”, Ranieri said.
There will be more troublesome match than this, however the premier league champions demonstrated a change and resistance that proposes potential to get wealth more ground at the most imperative motivation behind the line level of European club football.
Eleven-time champion Real Madrid needed a late victor from substitute Alvaro Morata to prevail, 2-1, over Sporting Lisbon in their opening game in the competition on a Wednesday night also marked by Premier League champion Leicester’s maiden Champions League win.
“If he hadn’t scored I’d take his neck and crush his neck!” he said.
LEI vs BUR PreviewLeicester C won the league past year and are the title defenders this time, but they haven’t been able to play like last season till now.
This, though, was largely the Leicester team that won the Premier League against all the odds. Pep Guardiola will be happy with his team’s performance, and if Aguero can keep up the scoring, he’ll give his team a good chance to go far this year.
Leicester have had a hard start to the defense of their title, having won only once in four games.
Wary of the hype and and the dangers of being overawed, Ranieri revealed he told his players to use the iconic anthem played before every Champions League game to their advantage.
“We failed because after two minutes we could have scored and the game was totally different”. Was this the English champions really adjusting to the Champions League, or just easily overcoming a poor side.
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Albrighton created four goalscoring opportunities for his teammates – twice as many as any other Leicester player.
