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Leicester not in Madrid to make up the numbers, says boss Craig Shakespeare

Leicester head into tonight's game as underdogs but Shakespeare has warned Atletico not to take his side lightly

Wednesday 12 April 2017 10:59 BST

'We have enjoyed it but make no mistake we're there to compete and not to make the numbers up,' Shakespeare said (Getty)

Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare insists the Foxes will not just make up the numbers in the Champions League.

The Premier League champions are the last English club left in the competition and face Atletico Madrid in their quarter-final first leg in Spain on Wednesday.

They are underdogs ahead of the game at the Vicente Calderon, despite having knocked out Atletico's LaLiga rivals Sevilla in the last 16, and are minnows in Europe.

Shakespeare said: "We have enjoyed it but make no mistake we're there to compete and not to make the numbers up. These players deserve this opportunity and we aim to keep that going.

"You have to pinch yourself but these are the nights you look forward to. It's a traditional ground. It gives you a little tingle.

"But I'm on this side now, you have to enjoy it but to enjoy it you have to make sure you get a result.

"In terms of life experience you use them as you go along, you have new ones and this is for us in the Champions League this season."

Kasper Schmeichel, who had a spell with Notts County in Sky Bet League Two between 2009 and 2010, also insisted he was inspired.

Schmeichel will captain the side with Wes Morgan out injured and said: "When you look at the DNA of our team, the type of characters, the journeys everyone has been on - lower leagues and rejection - these are the kind of nights, when you are playing League Two and watching the Champions League on TV, you were working for."

Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

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1/22Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Kasper Schmeichel 9 out of 10

Made a superb early save from Nasri which set the tone for Leicester’s historic performance. Became the hero of the hour when he saved N'Zonzi's late penalty. Undoubtedly the man of the tie given his equally impressive performance in the first-leg.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Danny Simpson 7/10

His distribution left a lot to be desired – just under half of his 18 passes ended up being intercepted – but he made two crucial interceptions and linked up nicely with Mahrez.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Wes Morgan 7/10

Leicester’s captain became the first ever Jamaican to score in the Champions League when he bundled in the opener. Made several crucial clearances and appears utterly transformed from the player that was struggling so desperately under Claudio Ranieri.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Robert Huth 7/10

Put in a tremendous shift alongside Morgan. Although the thought of the pair of them trying to keep the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala is nothing short of terrifying.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Christian Fuchs 8/10

Fantastic. A real danger going forward, combining nicely with Albrighton, and he had two good chances to get on the score-sheet. Equally impressive at the back where he relentlessly pressed Vitolo, preventing the Spaniard from flourishing.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Wilfried N'Didi 7/10

Another valiant performance from N’Didi in the middle of the park. Got the better of Steven N’Zonzi and almost got the better of Vicente Iborra, too. Stayed in defensive positions and allowed Drinkwater to get forward.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Riyad Mahrez 7/10

Repeatedly cut inside from the right-wing where his passes in-between the Sevilla defence impressed. Assisted Morgan’s goal, and should have assisted a counter-attacking goal for Islam Slimani, but took too long to pick his pass.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Danny Drinkwater 6/10

Missed a fine chance to score in the first-half but ultimately a good performance. His passing could have been better, though.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Marc Albrighton 8/10

A superb performance from the left-winger. Overlapped with Fuchs nicely down the left, so much so that Sampaoli was forced into an early double substitution. Scored a lovely second goal, bringing the ball under control and rifling a low shot past Sergio Rico.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Shinji Okazaki 7/10

Did what he usually does. Ran hard, pressed high and never allowed Sevilla’s defence the opportunity to build their attacks from the back.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Jamie Vardy 7/10

Back to his industrious, tenacious, relentless best. Didn’t get on the scoresheet but kept creating opportunities for himself. Did well not to react to Samir Nasri’s provocations in the second-half, too.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Sergio Rico 6/10

There was little he could have done to keep out Wes Morgan’s header from close range. And Rami should be blamed for Leicester's second, not Rico.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Nicolás Pareja 5/10

Not a particularly good night for the Argentinian. Made several important clearances but his distribution left an awful lot to be desired. Too often passed the ball straight to a Leicester player.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Gabriel Mercado 5/10

Sevilla struggled down the right, with Albrighton and Fuchs both causing a number of problems, and Sampaoli responded at half-time by hauling off his largely ineffective right-back.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Adil Rami 6/10

Had been one of Sevilla’s better players up until the second goal, which he was at fault for. His headed clearance didn’t have enough on it and was directed straight at the feet of Albrighton, who promptly lashed a low shot past Rico.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Sergio Escudero 6/10

Didn’t look as threatening as he in the first-leg in Andalusia. Was incredibly unlucky not to level the score in the second-half, though, with an unconventional, dipping strike which rattled the underside of the crossbar.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Steven N’Zonzi 4/10

Typically good in the air, playing in the heart of Sevilla’s midfield alongside Iborra. But his passing left a lot to be desired and he looked uncomfortable in possession whenever pressed. Missed a late penalty, his low effort struck nervously and far from the corner.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Vicente Iborra 6/10

Calmer and more composed in possession than N’Zonzi. Won a number of crunching tackles and stopped a mazy run from Albrighton early in the second-half with a well-timed challenge.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Pablo Sarabia 5/10

Posed little threat to Fuchs down the right. Struggled alongside Mercado playing behind him, and was also withdrawn by Sampaoli in a bold double substitution at the break.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Samir Nasri 5/10

The good: His repeated running in behind Leicester’s defence and his range of passing. The bad: Stupidly picking up a second yellow late in the second-half for an altercation with Jamie Vardy before attempting to get the English forward sent off. The ugly: An incandescent Martin O'Neill slamming the Nasri on BT Sport for being overweight.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Vitolo 5/10

It tells you everything about the winger’s all-action performance that he made the highest number of tackles of any Sevilla player (5). Will have been disappointed not to offer more going forward, however.

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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings

Wissam Ben Yedder 5/10

Looked dangerous in flashes but was ultimately on the ball too few times to truly threaten. On the occasions he did shoot, he failed to test Schmeichel. Missed a sitter of a rebound in the second-half.

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Shakespeare still had to field questions about former manager Claudio Ranieri after the Italian hinted he was betrayed.

Ranieri was sacked in February and broke his silence on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football - clearing the players of blame but still said "maybe it could be somebody behind me" although Shakespeare reiterated the pair never had an issue.

"Free speech is there for anyone, I don't have a problem with that. I'm quite comfortable in my own conscience," said Shakespeare.

"There's never been any arguments or hard feelings. That's my side of it. It was good to see him enjoying his football as he did. I thought he came across really well."

Atletico are third in LaLiga and have lost just four games at home in all competitions this season but boss Diego Simeone is wary of Jamie Vardy, who has scored seven goals in his last 10 games.

He said: "I like him, I really rate him as striker. He is the kind of powerful striker Atletico have had. He also gives the team a lot of depth, and makes life really difficult for defenders to get ball out.

"He is very dangerous and if we make any mistakes, he will penalise that."

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