Leicester City vs Club Brugge - Ranieri: UEFA CL isn't to blame for domestic form

Posted Tuesday, November 22, 2016 by PA

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has dismissed suggestions the Foxes have been distracted by the Champions League.

The struggling Premier League champions will reach the last 16 with a draw against Club Brugge on Tuesday and only have to better Porto's result against Copenhagen to win Group G.

Ranieri's men are unbeaten in Europe this season and are yet to concede a goal, but their league title defence is in tatters.

Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Watford left Leicester two points above the relegation zone and they have lost twice as many games, six, as they did during last season's shock triumph.

Leicester are top of Group G, three points clear of Porto, but have only won three league games this season - failing to win before any European game - yet Ranieri insisted they remain focused on both fronts.

He said: "No, I don't think it's a distraction. It's enjoyment. I don't see the difference.

"If you see the match against Watford and the match against Copenhagen or Brugge or Porto, it's the same. The difference is in the Champions League matches we score, in the other matches no.

"Our focus is this: try to win (on Tuesday) and then go back into the Premier League and try to improve our table.

"Yes of course I have to work harder, everyone has to work harder.

"The team, the lads are very strong and we know we have to fight a lot and we have to change this way but now we have the opportunity to go in the Champions League knockouts.

"We achieved the third position (in the group) but of course now we want to achieve something more. Our fairytale is continuing, we did something special last season and we're doing it again this season."

Kasper Schmeichel remains sidelined with the hand he fractured in the 0-0 draw in Copenhagen this month and Slimani is out with a groin injury while Nampalys Mendy and Ben Chilwell (both ankle) are also sidelined.

Club Brugge striker Jelle Vossen admits the Belgian side are being mocked as a Champions League laughing stock.

The former Middlesbrough and Burnley forward wants to avoid a club record fifth straight European defeat in a season ahead of Tuesday's game at the King Power Stadium.

Bottom-placed Brugge are winless in Europe and have conceded 10 goals, scoring just once, with their nightmare campaign starting with a 3-0 home defeat to the Foxes in September.

They have lost 10 of their previous 12 games in England, with their last victory over any English team a 1-0 first-leg success against Chelsea in the 1994/95 Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final.

A draw would send Leicester through to the last 16, but Vossen wants to spoil their party and end Brugge's wretched run.

He said: "It's never nice to be on zero points, overall we deserve more than that. It's a pity we are on zero points, it's something some people are laughing at and it's something we want to get rid of soon.

"We were very close to the level of the other teams and have enough confidence to go for a victory.

"Leicester are still the champions of England, they play direct football and have a lot of speed and power. We have to have the guts to play our football. They didn't steal the title last season, they haven't lost any of their quality."

Boss Michel Preud'homme is without Bjorn Engels, who injured his shoulder in the defeat to Leicester two months ago, and Abdoulaye Diaby is sidelined with a groin problem, while Ruud Vormer is banned.