Leicester City, the champions of Europe.
It sounds impossible but so did the idea of Leicester winning the Premier League last season. If they are going to once again achieve the impossible they got off to the best possible start by beating Belgium team Club Brugge 3-0 away in their first Champions League game.
The three goals were scored by Marc Albringon (5), and Riyad Mahrez (29, 61 pen). The Guardian reported that Leicester City have rediscovered the form that won them the Premier League last season. The paper goes on to state that Leicester were tough at the back and penetrative in attack – all characteristics that helped them to the title in 2015/16.
However, the challenge of the Champions League will be very different to the Premier League. If Leicester proceed through to the later stages, manager Claudio Ranieri will need his players to perform like they did against Club Brugge if they are once again to do the impossible.
Winning the Premier League last season proved that anything is possible and Leicester could go far in the Champions League if the play with the same attitude and intensity that led them to success.
Yet the beginning of the current season sees the champions lying in sixteenth place after a disappointing start. The added pressure on expectation appears to have caused them to stutter and play without the same fearlessness that won them the title. Their last Premier League game saw them beaten by Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield where for the most part they were outplayed by Jurgen Klopp’s team.
The BBC interviewed Ranieri after match with him saying “the Champions League music woke up Riyad Mahrez.” Algerian Mahrez had only scored once in four league appearances before the European tie and like the rest of the team has been short of his best so far this season. Ranieri went on to praise the player’s hard work that led to the two goals. He will hope that this victory will give the players the jump-start and belief to get their Premier League campaign back on track in the coming weeks.
Last season Leicester defied all the odds to become Premier League Champions. Lottoland, a lottery gaming site that allows users to play the Euro Millions among other draws online, even made a list of the 10 things more likely than Leicester winning the league. Included in the list were humorous odds on Simon Cowell being elected Prime Minister and Leicester striker Jamie Vardy starring as the next James Bond.
Many football fans will hope that Leicester will go far in the Champions League as they have proved that it is possible for smaller and less wealthy clubs to succeed. Their success has resonated across the world with The New York Times reporting on the “fairy tale” start to the Champions League. Can Leicester City repeat last year and surprise everyone? Who knows but you certainly wouldn’t bet against them.
