Foxes defense under scrutiny as Atleti rematch looms
Print Edition
LEICESTER City will be powered by a sense of injustice and a belief that its depleted team can extend one of football’s most unlikely success stories when it seeks to overturn its UEFA Champions League quarterfinal deficit against Atletico Madrid.
But with Robert Huth suspended following a booking in the 0-1 first-leg loss in Madrid and captain Wes Morgan struggling with an injury, the Foxes can only hope a reshaped defense will cope against one of Europe’s finest counter-attacking sides at King Power Stadium next Tuesday. “(Losing Huth) is a blow,” manager Craig Shakespeare said after Wednesday’s loss. “We have a few on yellows, so we knew it was a tightrope. Robert is a very committed player.
“There is some hope with Morgan. He has been out on the grass for the last few days, and we hope he will be all right. If he is out, we will have to have a look at what we do with team shape.”
Leicester could be down to the bare bones for the second leg with Yohan Benalouane, who played in Madrid, and Marcin Wasilewski the only recognized central defenders available.
For all of Atletico’s dominance, it holds the slenderest of leads courtesy of Antoine Griezmann’s contentious first half penalty, awarded for a foul on the Frenchman by Marc Albrighton, despite replays showing the initial contact was outside the box.
Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson waved away the protests, leaving Shakespeare to renew his complaints after the whistle.
“We were hard done by,” he said. “It is one of the major decisions in the game, a definite foul, but outside the box.”
Leicester was also fortunate to encounter Fernando Torres on an off night, with the former Liverpool and Chelsea striker missing several chances.
On Tuesday, the Premier League champion can expect to face a much tougher second-leg task than in the last round when, under previous manager Claudio Ranieri, it took a valuable away goal back from the 1-2 defeat in Seville.
But former Leicester manager Martin O’Neill believes the Foxes can emulate the 2-0 home win it managed against Sevilla. “It will be tricky for (Atletico),” he said. “I don’t care how much experience they have. Remember when that goal in Seville went in? You felt the King Power would be really alive, and it was.
“This time, multiply that by the possibility of a semifinal place in the Champions League. (It will be) extraordinary.”
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