Club Brugge vs Leicester - Leicester set for another impossible dream in Champions League

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri insists the Foxes are ready for another impossible dream as they prepare for their Champions League debut.

The Foxes make their bow in the competition when they face Club Brugge at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday after last season's shock Premier League title victory.

They also face Copenhagen and Porto in Group G as Ranieri returns to the competition for the first time since 2012 and while the Italian admitted a Champions League victory in Cardiff in June is unlikely he insisted the Foxes must be able to dream.

"We wrote a fantastic fairytale last season, nobody was waiting for us (to win the league) and also we didn't believe it could be possible at the start," he said.

"There are so many big teams involved in this competition and to win the Champions League we have to write a big fairytale, the second story. Of course I say it's impossible but Leicester showed the impossible was possible.

"Why not? I think our fairytale means not only sport but life. If you believe some good things can happen, it can happen. If you don't believe, it cannot. I think also Brugge can win the Champions League, also (Russian club) Rostov.

"People can say Leicester can win the group but we have to be calm. The rest have a lot of experience. It's a new season, we want to write something good, and then slowly, slowly."

Brugge are 10th in the Jupiler Pro League after three defeats from six games while Leicester have lost two of their opening four matches in the Premier League but Ranieri insisted the hosts must be respected.

He said: "Club Brugge are a good team, one of the best in Belgium and are used to playing in Europe. We are the last, Leicester and Rostov are the last. Of course we want to show our best and our desire is to win but we have to stay calm with a lot of respect for everyone."

Danny Simpson will be assessed after a hamstring injury he suffered in Saturday's 4-1 defeat to Liverpool while Jeff Schlupp (muscle strain) and Nampalys Mendy (ankle) are doubts.

Club Brugge manager Michel Preud'homme has told the team's fans not to disrespect Leicester as underwhelmed supporters plan to stay away.

The Belgian champions are only expecting around 20,000 in the 29,000-capacity Jan Breydel Stadion when they host the Foxes.

A poor start, the timing of the game and the fact Brugge have a fan-base spread across the country are all reasons for the poor attendance and Preud'homme warned those coming they cannot underestimate the Foxes.

"Maybe they have the wrong perception of the quality of the opponent that we get at home," he said, ahead of Brugge's first Champions League group game for a decade.

"The Belgium press says it's not a big team but I say they are. They are a big team because they became champions.

"If we get Roma, everyone will say 'Roma, we want to see it' but they might eliminate us. If Arsenal are here everyone will want to see Arsenal but Leicester won against Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea and so on. At this moment it means this team are better than the others.

"Maybe tomorrow people are expecting less from us because on paper they are better."