Claudio Ranieri urges Leicester not to underestimate FC Copenhagen

02 November 2016 08:24

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has urged caution ahead of the Foxes' trip to FC Copenhagen - after preparing for the game by handing out sweets on Halloween.

Victory in Denmark on Wednesday would clinch a last 16 spot and a point would send Leicester through if Porto fail to beat Club Brugge.

The Foxes top Group G after three straight wins gave them a five point lead but Ranieri is wary ahead of the game at Parken.

He said: "I understand everybody wants to win but for us it's important to have everything in our hands. We can write a new chapter of the Leicester story but maybe it's not tomorrow. It's important to concentrate because Copenhagen are well organised. I respect them a lot.

"We are very close to achieving something special."

Ranieri spent Monday night giving away sweets to trick or treaters at his home in Leicester as he relaxed ahead of potential qualification.

"I put a big bag of chocolates at the door, people came," he added. "Unbelievable. I came to the door, went back to my living room to watch the television and 'ring!' And I go back. Then I put the chair very close to the door. It was good."

Ranieri also backed Jamie Vardy to end his 11-game goal drought with the striker having failed to score since early September.

He said: "He hasn't scored for 11 games? Last season he scored 11 on the trot. Now it's finished. Tomorrow maybe he will score."

The squad held their fancy dress Christmas party in Copenhagen last season and m idfielder Andy King insists the Foxes can become real heroes after last year's fancy dress antics in the Danish capital, when King dressed up as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with Danny Drinkwater, Matty James and Ben Hamer.

Shinji Okazaki was Bananaman while Jamie Vardy was the White Power Ranger and Robert Huth Batman.

"We had a great weekend, that sort of sums up the team spirit we've got in the camp," said the Wales international, who reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals with his country in the summer.

"We all came away for the Christmas party, we had a great time and saw bits of the city. But we're here for work now and hopefully we can go home as happy as we did last time.

"At that point we weren't looking that far ahead. We were top at Christmas and the aim was 40 points and we were nearly there."

Source: PA