Claudio Ranieri 'angry' at Leicester's contrasting domestic & European
Claudio Ranieri 'angry' at
Leicester's contrasting domestic & European
Leicester
have become only the third team to start a Champions League campaign with three
clean sheets
Leicester
manager Claudio Ranieri says he is "very, very angry" his team cannot
replicate their Champions League form in the Premier League.
Riyad
Mahrez's goal secured a 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen
on Tuesday to leave the Foxes one victory from qualifying for the Champions
League last 16.
But the
English champions, unbeaten in Europe with three wins in three, are 13th
domestically after four losses.
Ranieri
said it is a "psychological" problem and the league is his priority.
Leicester
are only the fifth Champions League debutants - after AC Milan, Paris
St-Germain, Juventus and Malaga - to win their opening three games.
"I'm
very proud of the side from one side but from another, when I think of the Premier
League, I am very, very angry," said Ranieri, 64.
"In
my career this has happened. When you are in the big competition for the first
time you grow and then you lose something when you go back into your own
competition.
"When
you play in the Champions League you are switched on, very, very smart and
focused on every situation. You use up a lot of mental energy in the Champions
League.
"We
want to change this though because the Premier League is our priority."
Leicester
are only the fifth Champions League debutants to win their opening three games
in the competition
Leicester
have already lost more games in the Premier League this season than they did in
their title campaign - and conceded 14 goals.
But in
Europe, the Foxes have become only the third team to begin a Champions League
campaign with three straight clean sheets, and they can secure a place in the
last 16 with a win in Denmark on 2 November, having already guaranteed at least
a Europa League spot.
"It
is good to go into the Europa League but we are in the Champions League and we
go step by step," added Ranieri.
"We
have to stay calm now and change our mentality in the Premier League because we
have Crystal Palace coming up - a tough, tough match."
Analysis - How far can Leicester go?
Phil
McNulty, BBC Sport's chief football writer
When
Leicester's thoughts turned to their first Champions League campaign,
qualification from Group G would have been regarded as a major success for
manager Claudio Ranieri and his players.
But the
Foxes may just fancy their chances of taking the dream journey a step further.
Topping
the group would make life a lot easier in the last-16 draw as it vastly
increases the chances of drawing beatable opponents when all logic - something,
admittedly, they defied last season - suggests they would struggle against
Europe's elite.
The King
Power Stadium is a compact and atmospheric arena, swirling with noise, that is
perfectly designed for European nights and making even the most illustrious
sides uncomfortable.
If
Leicester can keep up this form, and the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and
Islam Slimani can provide the threat to supplement the defensive resilience
that won the Premier League, then there may be plenty of sides they can
trouble."
Read Phil McNulty's report from the King Power
Stadium
Foxes avoid Uefa flares charge
FC
Copenhagen fans set off flares before kick-off at the King Power Stadium
Leicester
City will not face Uefa charges after FC Copenhagen fans let off flares before
Tuesday's Champions League game at the King Power Stadium.
European
football's governing body has opened disciplinary proceedings against the
Danish champions for supporters in the away end "setting off
fireworks".
Uefa
holds host clubs responsible for security inside and around the stadium,
"unless they can prove that they have not been negligent".
Uefa's
control, ethics and disciplinary body will deal with Copenhagen's case on 17
November.
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