Craig Shakespeare, the new manager of Leicester City, admitted on Friday that his team faces a massive challenge to get past their Champions League quarter-final opponents Atletico Madrid
The Premier League champions Leicester City will face Spain’s Atletico Madrid in their maiden Champions League quarter-final. Leicester progressed to the last eight by beating Sevilla 3-2 on aggregate and will now face yet another Spanish side for a spot in the semis.
Leicester will play the first leg against last year’s runners-up on April 12, with the return leg on 18 April at King Power Stadium.
“Facing a team who have reached the final in two of the past three seasons is a massive challenge but it’s just the kind of tie you expect in the quarter-finals of the Champions League,” said Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare. “Atletico Madrid are a very good team with some fantastic individuals with experience in the competition, but we’ll be ready to give everything to progress.”
Talking about the fans and supporters of the club, Shakespeare said the experience will be exciting. “It will be a brilliant occasion for our supporters and for everyone at the club, but before the players can begin to think about these games, we have Premier League matches to come that are of huge significance to our season,” said the newly appointed coach.
Atletico have beaten the English side in their four previous meetings. “The previous knockout round and the group stage have shown that Leicester are a side you have to be wary of. Leicester are here because they deserve to be, and, in the last 16, they eliminated Sevilla. We will need to take any chances that come our way,” said Clemente Villaverde, Atlético general manager.