Leicester v Club Brugge: line-ups, where to watch, form guide
Monday, November 21, 2016
Article summary
Leicester may be struggling in the Premier League but the fairy tale is continuing in Europe and a point against lowly Club Brugge will seal a last-16 spot.
Article top media content
Article body
- Leicester will qualify with draw; Brugge struggling to avoid finishing bottom
- Premier League champions Leicester just two points above relegation zone
- Ron-Robert Zieler in for injured Kasper Schmeichel; Leicester yet to concede
- Jamie Vardy is 11 games without goal for Foxes
- Leicester won 3-0 away to Club Brugge on matchday one – watch highlights
Possible line-ups
Leicester: Zieler; Hernández, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs; Mahrez, Drinkwater, King, Musa; Okazaki, Vardy.
Out: Schmeichel (hand), Mendy (ankle), Slimani (groin), Chilwell (ankle)
Misses next match if booked: Huth, Slimani
Club Brugge: Butelle; Van Rhijn, Poulain, Denswil, Cools; Claudemir, Simons; Izquierdo, Vanaken, Limbombe; Vossen.
Out: Diaby (groin), Engels (shoulder), Vormer (suspended)
Misses next match if booked: Claudemir
Where to watch
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here
Claudio Ranieri, Leicester manager
We have the chance to go through in the Champions League which is an enormous achievement for the club. Our fairy tale continues. We did something special last season and this season we are doing something special – for the first time in our lives we are playing in the Champions League and to go through to the knockout stage is fantastic.
When our opponent has their first chance they score a goal; last season when we had the first chance we scored a goal. I'm very happy about the Champions League matches, but the balance is not so good. I'm very frustrated with our Premier League form. Well try to win and [take] the next step, then go back in the Premier League and try to improve our position in the table.
Michel Preud'homme, Club Brugge coach
We have had good moments in every game in the Champions League but to take points you have to be focused for 90 minutes. Against Porto we lost in the last minute. In our league, for some games you can lose concentration for five, ten or 15 minutes and get away with it. At this level, if you lose concentration you are finished.
We want to get off zero points. We will do everything to take a point – or three – somewhere. At the same time, I will not take a risk with players who have problems as it is not the most important thing for me at the moment.
Even if Leicester have problems in England, in Europe against [clubs like] Brugge and Porto they do well, and it means the level of the Premier League is so high that even if they are a little bit less [than last season] they are still very good in Europe.
Weekend results
Watford 2-1 Leicester (Capoue 1, Pereyra 12; Mahrez 15pen)
Claudio Ranieri's men have lost six of their 12 Premier League fixtures this season, three more defeats than they suffered in their title-winning campaign last term.
Sint-Truiden 0-1 Club Brugge (Vossen 90+5pen)
Club Brugge won and scored away from home for the first time in five outings in all competitions thanks to Jelle Vossen's last-gasp penalty.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Leicester: LLDDWW
Club Brugge: WDLDWW
Reporter's view: Simon Hart (@UEFAcomSimonH)
Leicester's opponents might be making life hard in the Premier League but so far Ranieri's men have had no problem bouncing back in the UEFA Champions League – they suffered domestic defeats before each of their three Group G wins. On paper they should get the point needed to secure a last-16 place – after all, Brugge have never won in England, and are without a point in the group and without a goal from two previous away games. Can Vardy end his goal drought?
Did you know?
Bottom-placed Brugge are aiming to avoid what would be a club-record fifth straight defeat in a single European campaign. Read more in our extensive match background.