Defending English League champion Leicester City’s maiden voyage in Champions League took them to “Venice of the North” and they made a huge splash by sinking Club Brugge in a 0-3 score line. “I said to the players when you hear the Champions League music it charges the battery and makes you fight”, said Ranieri. “We have to perform better defensively and offensively if we want to win that kind of game”. With Mahrez below his best in the opening four Premier League matches and his displays starting to come in for some criticism, Ranieri suggested that the PFA player of the year had responded to the sound of the anthem before kick-off.
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Riyad Mahrez looked back to his old self against Brugge, scoring a brace that included a sublime free kick.
What made the win all the more remarkable was that it was only the ninth European match in Leicester’s history, and their first victory since beating Glenavon of Northern Ireland in the preliminary round of the 1961-62 Cup Winners’ Cup.
The only sour note for Leicester was a booking for 29-million pound record signing Islam Slimani for a push on Bjorn Engels, which led to the defender falling awkwardly and injuring his shoulder.
Mahrez completed the rout from the penalty spot on 61 minutes after Vardy gave the defense the slip and was upended by keeper Ludovic Butelle.
“People pigeon hole you, the same as with Leicester”, Dyche said. It felt like a return to the verve and vigour of last season and any fears over damage from Saturday’s 4-1 humbling at Liverpool, their heaviest defeat in over 12 months, were dispelled with a clinical team performance that embarrassed their hosts.
“He is a very good player and what is important is that now he understands he is a good player”.
“Hopefully, we can pick something up at the weekend, carry this form into the league and do a good job there”.
Leicester won 3-0 at Club Bruges in their first-ever Champions League match in midweek. “No fear, we just played our football and let that do the talking”, said England striker Vardy, a constant menace for the bewildered home back line. “But if not, we want to get in the Europa League – that’s the target”.
He then converted a 61st-minute penalty to seal a ideal night for Claudio Ranieri’s side, who are already top of the section after Porto and FC Copenhagen drew 1-1 in the other game.
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“We can take it and go into Saturday with more confidence”.
