Club Brugge 0 City 3
Report by Colin Murrant
It wasn’t my chosen mode of transport, but following the late cancellation of the Thomas Cook flight and needing to be back home Thursday morning, Fox Travel offered the only real option.
Boarding the train at Market Harborough I could sense an immensely relaxed feeling that I had, thoughts of playing my small part in the Club’s history, a new adventure, start of the European Tour. I didn’t really want to feel like this, I thought I should have a tinge of nerves but it wasn’t happening.
My mind went back to when I last felt like this and the Blackburn Rovers play off final came instantly to mind. After the escape from the drop into the third tier of English Football the year before, arriving at Wembley for a play off final was surreal, unexpected, just great to be there. This too was surreal, unexpected and added to that if we didn’t win tonight we had five more opportunities.
I needed to snap out of this complacency and sure enough as I reached the King Power stadium, the fans waiting for their coaches in their blue, red or white shirts, the TV cameras, the butterflies in my stomach were in evidence.
Four coaches set off and, with no sign of Page & Moy and plenty of room, it was not just the bus that was half full, so were my expectations of the match. First stop Watford Gap services to change drivers! I know barely 25 miles down the road but remember this is LCFC arranged travel. We set off again after a twenty-minute delay; at least no sign of a French Police escort yet.
We arrived at Dover for the 13.50 ferry at 13.50 but too late to board and so departure was now delayed an hour. It was 5.30 local time when we embarked and were taken straight to the ground where the coaches were held in a large compound where refreshments were available and we able to stand and chat to the police and our fellow supporters. Those who had walked from the Bruges City Centre started to arrive, most jolly but with some complaints that the advised fifty-minute walk had in fact taken about eighty.
The Jan Breydel Stadium is situated in a quite posh residential area outside the City. From the outside it looked quite nice but I can honestly say the inside was the dirtiest football ground I have been to. The refreshment areas were dour, hot dogs handed through a small window with bars making it reminiscent of a prison (so I am informed). In contrast, the bar was fully open and to my surprise alcohol was served and could be taken into the stand. The seats were a total disgrace, every seat was covered in dirt, mine was still wet I found out to my cost. The stand was in a corner and quite steep. I was situated close to the front so not too bad but many I heard were complaining of it not being safe the further you went up.
The 1400 Leicester fans were in great voice throughout, The Brugge fans started well although their rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone was jeered by the Leicester Fans. Goodwill was restored in the 23rd minute when the majority of Leicester fans joined in the applause for Francois Sterchele, a Club Brugge striker killed in a car crash in 2008: remarkable that this tradition continues 8 years on.
The only sad point of the night was the fact that whilst hundreds of City fans could not get tickets for the game, some 9000 of the 29000 seats available were unsold.
They used to say that the only famous Belgian you could name was the cyclist Eddy Merckx, that is before a lot of Belgian players came to the Premier League including a player who will go down in Leicester folklore, Eden Hazard: with apologies to Ritchie De Laet. Most of the people I spoke to had equal problem in naming a solitary Club Brugge player, and as no programmes were available, we will probably no little about them until we buy the City Matchday magazine.
So for the first time we heard live the Champions League Anthem. The match started with City defending the end that held their supporters. Within three burst through the City defence with Amartey trailing in his wake. Luckily for Leicester the midfielder placed his shot wide of Schmeichel’s left hand post. Apart from a shot late in the second half from the same player hitting the left hand post this time, the game was always in City’s hands.
After only five minutes a long throw from Hernandez was only headed across goal by an CB defender and under some pressure at the far post Marc Albrighton made it 1-0. As the half wore on there was some evidence that Islam Slimani was putting in a shift, winning a lot of aerial duels, and more importantly linking up with Jamie Vardy.
Vardy himself was though on goal after 29 minutes but was brought down outside the box for which Timmy Simons became the first of three CB players to be booked for last gasp tackles on the forward. Riyad Mahrez exacted the ultimate punishment with a magnificent free kick from the subsequent set-piece and it felt that this was City’s game. As half time approached a spectacular 35-yard volley from Danny Drinkwater was tipped over the bar by Butelle in the CB goal, from my position it looked in all the way but on seeing a TV replay may have just cleared the bar.
The second half was comfortable and pressure from Amartey and Drinkwater resulted in a poor pass from the defender which was intercepted by Vardy who drove in on goal. As he went past the keeper his legs were taken from him and the penalty was assured. Nobody feels totally comfortable when Mahrez picks the ball up and puts on the spot, but this time the shimmy was back, the goalkeeper dived and the ball was driven firmly into the back of the net after62 minutes play.
This gave the opportunity for Claudio to rest some of his key players. Slimani went off after a good shift and previously encouraging the City supporters to raise their volumes even higher, Vardy and Mahrez were also taken off. Musa, Ulloa and Gray were all industrious when they came on with the latter going on a driving run before hitting his shot over the bar.
This was a much better performance reminiscent of last season, organised, pressing, passing all improved. Albrighton was the man of the match in my opinion but everyone played their part. Amartey had a good game once he settled and if he can ensure he picks up the runners from midfield could be the person that solves that defensive position in front of the back four.
The game ended with continued celebrations and, as the short stayers headed for the bars, the day trippers headed for the coaches. The return home was uneventful and we arrived back in Leicester at 5.30 am. In all honesty the coach was great value at £63.
As I headed back to Leicester station a fox came out of the bushes near the Counting House heading towards the Local Hero, stopped about 8 feet away, looked at me then just strolled on into the misty morning: amazingly ironic and probably a portents #Confidence #Fearless #Proud.
As the train sped back to Market Harborough I could sense a …. Well nothing really, I was just tired.
BRUGGE: Butelle, Van Rhijn, Simons (c), Engels (Poulain 53), Diaby (Vossen 62), Izquierdo (Gedoz 76), Pina, Vanaken, Densweil, Vormer, De Bock . SUBS NOT USED: Bruzzese, Claudemir, Cools, Bolingoli
CITY: Schmeichel, Hernández, Huth, Morgan (c), Fuchs, Drinkwater, Amartey, Mahrez (Gray 81), Albrighton, Slimani (Ulloa 62), Vardy (Musa 70). SUBS NOT USED: Zieler, Chilwell, Wasilewski, King
GOALS: Albrighton 5, Mahrez 29, pen 61
REFEREE: Tasos Sidiropoulos Attendance c 20,000
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation