It is quite surprising how Leicester City’s Premier League performance has not affected their Champions League form at all. Where the Foxes have crumbled against teams like Hull City and West Bromwich Albion this season in the Premier League, leaving aside their defeats against the English giants, they have registered wins against FC Porto and FC Copenhagen in the continental tournament.
And it is also quite strange how the team that lost to Watford in the league fixture this week are the favourites to beat Belgian champions Club Brugge in the midweek fixture.
Leicester City are group G leaders with 10 points, having won 3 games and drawn 1 in their previous games. A draw here is enough to take them into the next phase or if Copenhagen fails to win their fixture against FC Porto. Brugge, on the other hand, are at the bottom of the group with zero points, having lost their previous games. Club Brugge lost 1 – 0 to Porto in their last Champions League match.
Team News
Club Brugge- Brugge continue to be without their star defender Bjorn Engels who is out with a shoulder injury and right winger Leor Rafaelov. Central midfielder Ruud Vormer will be serving a match suspension after receiving 4 yellow cards and forward Jelle Vossen faces similar consequences if he receives another booking this game.
Leicester City- They will have all the players present for the match to make sure they qualify for the knockout rounds, which will be more than a consolation for their dismal league performance. Robert Huth and Islam Slimani, however, are both a yellow card away from a ban. Ranieri will be more careful with the with them if the Foxes are to qualify for the first position, which might pit them against easier oppositions.
Predicted Lineups
Club Brugge- Butelle; Cools, Denswil,Poulain, Van Rhijn; Izquierdo, Simmons, Caludemir, Vanaken; Vossen; Wesley
Leicester City- Zieler; Fuchs, Huth, Morgan, Simpson; Albrighton, Drinkwater, Amartey, Mahrez; Okazaki; Vardy
Key Players
Leicester City- Vardy and Riyad Mahrez are on the 23-man shortlist for the Best FIFA Men’s Player 2016 award. With Riyad Mahrez’s current form in the UCL, he is a feared forward for any opponent. He even scored twice in the reverse fixture when Leicester beat Brugge 3-0.
Club Brugge- Jelle Vossen has been Brugge’s best player this season both in scoring goals and giving assists. Timmy Simons appeared as a late substitute in Belgium’s 8-1 victory over Estonia in the European Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup. He should also be in good touch.
Odds
Leicester City @ 1.44
Draw @ 4.77
Club Brugge @ 8.00
