Leicester City vs Sevilla. UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
The King Power StadiumAttendance31,520.
3-2
Tuesday 14 March 2017 22:45, UK
Leicester City will not sit back in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 tie second leg at home to Spanish side Sevilla as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit, manager Craig Shakespeare said on Monday.
Sevilla dominated the first leg last month but were made to pay for failing to convert their chances after striker Jamie Vardy scored an away goal for the English champions.
"I'm expecting the team to really play off the front foot," Shakespeare, who was appointed Leicester manager for the rest of the season on Sunday, said in his pre-match press conference.
"That is not saying we are going to be open, because we know Seville have got some world-class players, but it makes for an interesting game. We knew by getting the away goal it gave us a great opportunity."
Sevilla, meanwhile, go into the match on the back of consecutive 1-1 draws against Alaves and Leganes which have seen their La Liga title hopes fade.
Coach Jorge Sampaoli rested several first-team players for Saturday's home game with Leganes, but said his team would need to raise their game substantially for the reunion with Leicester.
"With a performance like that we will find it very difficult to get through in the Champions League," said the Argentine, who has been strongly linked with the vacant coach's role at Barcelona.
"They are strong opponents who will punish mistakes. We were clear that we had to think about two teams for two games with very different obligations.
"We have to prepare the best team to be able to qualify in such a difficult game against an excellent opponent."
Team news
Nampalys Mendy is sidelined for the second leg at the King Power Stadium after the midfielder sustained a knee injury in training.
Molla Wague is also sidelined with a dislocated shoulder and is unlikely to play again this season having only joined on loan - and made one appearance - in January.
Sevilla are at full strength, barring long-term absentees Benoit Tremoulinas and Michael Krohn-Dehli, while Spain international Vitolo returns following a domestic suspension.
Sampaoli is expected to recall key midfielders Steven N'Zonzi and Samir Nasri, both of whom have Premier League experience.
Match stats
Sevilla claimed a 2-1 victory in the reverse fixture; the first time they had ever faced Leicester in European competition.
Leicester have never beaten Spanish opposition in European competition (D1 L4; also Atlético Madrid in 1961/62 Cup Winners Cup and 1997/98 UEFA Cup).
Seven of the last nine times a side has lost 1-2 away from home in a Champions League first-leg knockout tie, have failed to go on and progress to the next round.
Leicester are the first team since Malaga in 2012/13 to finish top of their group on their Champions League debut.
Sevilla have reached the Champions League knockout stages in three of their four appearances. However, they've never gone past the round of 16.
No team has kept more clean sheets this season in the Champions League than Sevilla (5, same as Juventus).
The Foxes were one of only four teams to win all three of their 2016/17 Champions League home group games (Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona).
Charlie's prediction
Can Leicester do it? My honest feeling is no. I think Sevilla might actually be more dangerous away from home because Leicester are not good when they have to force the game.
They let Leicester off the hook in the first leg and I would suggest that Craig Shakespeare will want to let the visitors have the majority of the ball and hit them on the break.
Sevilla are also very dangerous on the counter-attack, with Vincent Iborra and Steven N'Zonzi good at controlling the game but also launching their team on the break.
I absolutely see Sevilla scoring and if they do first then I can't see how Leicester will come through. Leicester need to be in the game with 20 minutes to go but I'm afraid I see their campaign coming to an end here.
Charlie predicts: 1-2 and N'Zonzi to score first - 66/1 with Sky Bet
Betting
Leicester are Sky Bet's 3/1 outsiders to make the quarter-finals and 23/10 to win on the night, with Sevilla 6/5 for the victory and 13/5 to progress with a draw. Sampaoli's men are 28/1 in the Champions League outright whilst the Foxes are up against odds of 80/1. Stevan Jovetic and Wissam Ben Yeddar share favouritism in the first goalscorer betting at 9/2 apiece, while Jamie Vardy is 13/2 to net first and enhanced from 11/1 to 16/1 to bag a brace in Sky Bet's Price Boosts.
Leicester v Sevilla is included in the midweek Super 6 line up, with £250,000 up for grabs for simply predicting the six correct scores. Enter your selections for free here