Leicester, England
The improbable rise of a previously unheralded club from central England touched new heights on Tuesday when Leicester beat Sevilla, 2-0, to reach the last eight of Europe’s elite club competition, courtesy of a 3-2 aggregate victory.
Two years ago to the day, Leicester was in last place in the Premier League after a dour 0-0 home draw with Hull. On Friday, its name will be in a pot alongside the cream of the continent — Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and two others — in the Champions League draw in Nyon.
“We proved a lot of people wrong and pulled off the impossible again,” said Leicester captain Wes Morgan, one of the scorers inside an atmospheric King Power Stadium. “We will take whoever comes.”
That’s the kind of uncompromising attitude that carried Leicester to the Premier League title last season at odds of 5,000-1 and is sweeping the team to another potential miracle.
Sevilla — currently the third-best team in Spain and winner of the last three Europa League titles — played into Leicester’s hands here, leaving space behind its defense and failing to match the home side’s intensity and energy. Its players also gave away silly fouls, one of which was conceded at the edge of their area to allow Riyad Mahrez to curl in a free kick that Morgan turned home at the back post for 1-0 in the 27th.
Winger Marc Albrighton doubled the lead in the 54th — and put Leicester clear on aggregate — by lashing home left-footed drive from just inside the area after Sevilla defender Adil Rami made a poor headed clearance. Seconds earlier, Sevilla left back Sergio Escudero had powered a dipping 35-yard shot against the crossbar.
Juventus beat Porto, 1-0, to advance on a 3-0 aggregate in Tuesday’s other match.
Spurs’ Kane Has Ankle Damage
London
The Premier League club says the injury is similar to the one sustained by Kane in a league game against Sunderland in September, which ruled the England international out for seven weeks.
Kane, who was hurt early in the 6-0 win over Millwall, continues to be monitored by club doctors. Tottenham did not give a predicted timescale for the striker’s absence.
Monaco Star May Miss UCL Match
Monaco
Coach Leonardo Jardim said on Tuesday that he will make a late decision on whether to start Falcao, who scored twice in the first leg of their Round of 16 contest as Monaco lost 5-3 after leading 3-2.
Falcao has scored 24 goals this season, although none since the City game three weeks ago, where he also missed a penalty.
But Jardim has backed him to take one again on Wednesday, should be play, even though Brazilian Fabinho — the club’s other penalty taker — has never missed one for Monaco.
“If Falcao is there, he will take it,” Jardim said. “If not, it will be Fabinho.”
Falcao picked up the injury late in Saturday’s home game against Bordeaux, where he came on as a substitute during the second half.
The Colombia striker was felled by a heavy challenge form Bordeaux defender Nicolas Pallois and hobbled off near the end of the game, which league leader Monaco won 2-0 to maintain its three-point lead over Paris Saint-Germain.
Should Falcao not start, then forward Valere Germain will likely be picked alongside 18-year-old Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 10 in his last 10 games to become one of the most sought-after young players in European football.
Jardim thinks Germain, who has scored 13 goals this season, acting mostly as a foil for Mbappe or Falcao, is ready to play.
“Given the way we play tactically, he is a support striker who looks for space and tries to make the defense move out of position,” Jardim said. “He has done a good job for us this season.”
Jardim must also cope without Kamil Glick, his best defender, who is suspended, with Brazilian Jemerson set to replace him at center half.
Jardim expects City to score, given its attacking strength and attack-minded focus.
“I think we will need to score three goals to go through,” the Portuguese coach said. “Both teams will continue with the same idea in mind. It’s difficult to change the mentality of City and Monaco players now. I think there will be a lot of space and also a lot of goals.”
Jardim has been delighted with his attack this season — hard not to when it has scored 123 goals — but he expects much more from his defense.
““I’ve watched the match again twice. I told my players, even today, that the small details count,” he said. “It’s important not to repeat the mistakes from the first game. We need to be more careful in defense and we need to sort a few things out.”
Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva, one of Monaco’s best players this season, says the players know the plan to topple City.
“We have our strategy, but I won’t say how we will play,” he said. “We have to attack of course, but stay calm. Because if we attack like crazy we can concede goals and it will be all over.
“Tomorrow will be an open game with goals and great goals and entertainment for everyone watching,” added Silva, who has scored 10 goals this season. “We need to be optimistic because if we play with fear, then we’ll go out.”
Man United charged with ‘failing to control players’
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LONDON (AP) — Manchester United has been charged by the English Football Association after its players harangued referee Michael Oliver following the sending-off of Ander Herrera during the team’s FA Cup loss to Chelsea.
United’s players were unhappy when Herrera received a second yellow card in the 35th minute for fouling Chelsea winger Eden Hazard. The score was 0-0 at that stage and United went on to lose 1-0 in the quarterfinal match at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
The FA said Tuesday that United has been charged with “failing to control their players.”
United has until Friday to respond to the charge.