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Leicester ready to enthral in Europe
LONDON: Jamie Vardy says Leicester have no intention of treating the Champions League as some sort of belated EPL victory parade, and are ready to add another chapter
LONDON: Jamie Vardy says Leicester have no intention of treating the Champions League as some sort of belated EPL victory parade, and are ready to add another chapter to last season’s stunning success story.
The club travel to Belgium to take on Club Brugge at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday in their opening group fixture, and Vardy says he wants the Foxes to make an impact on the competition, given English clubs have struggled at Europe’s elite level in recent years.
“We definitely want to make a mark in this tournament,” Vardy told Reuters in an interview. “We don’t just want to sit there and roll over and get beat every time we play in the Champions League.
“We want to give it a good go. I think if we play anywhere near how we have played, especially all last season, then why can’t we...” the 29-year-old added.
Vardy said Champions League football would be another chance for the unheralded club from the East Midlands of England to prove themselves on the biggest stage, and that the players were determined to enjoy it.
“But we’re not there just to be walked all over,” he added.
Claudio Ranieri’s side have been placed in Group G alongside Porto, Copenhagen and Brugge, who have picked up just seven points from their opening six Belgian league matches.
KANE BACKS SPURS TO THRIVE AT WEMBLEY
LONDON: Harry Kane is confident Tottenham’s England stars will ensure Wembley becomes a successful second home in their Champions League opener against Monaco on Wednesday.
The prospect of bigger crowds at Wembley convinced Tottenham to make the short move across north London.
Tottenham striker Kane believes a strong English core that includes internationals Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and himself, can help them instantly settle in the venue.
“If there are 85-90,000 Tottenham fans, it’s only going to make you play better,” Kane said. “A lot of us have played there already, so it feels like even more of a home. Everyone knows how iconic Wembley is.”
