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Penalty-saving hero Kasper Schmeichel says he doesn’t care who Leicester City get in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, as he reflected on how he has reached that stage having played in League Two only a few years ago.
The 30-year-old stopped Steven N’Zonzi’s 80th-minute at a crucial stage of the English champions’ 2-0 win over Sevilla, to make it two spot-kick stops over the two legs of their last-16 tie, and ensure Leicester went through 3-2 on aggregate.
Pride, this is an unbelievable achievement for the club,” Schmeichel told BT: “I’m proud of the boys against a tough side, we had a game plan and we stuck to it… we always knew they would have possession, we played really well. It was going to be tough to maintain intensity in the second half, we knew we were going to have to defend.
“The penalty is one of those things, it’s three years since I saved one and now two in two Champions League matches. It’s good to help the team progress.”
Asked about how Leicester have so picked things up in the last three games since sacking Claudio Ranieri, Schmeichel said “it's about confidence”.
Show all 22 1 /22Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Kasper Schmeichel 9 out of 10 Made a superb early save from Nasri which set the tone for Leicester’s historic performance. Became the hero of the hour when he saved N'Zonzi's late penalty. Undoubtedly the man of the tie given his equally impressive performance in the first-leg.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Danny Simpson 7/10 His distribution left a lot to be desired – just under half of his 18 passes ended up being intercepted – but he made two crucial interceptions and linked up nicely with Mahrez.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Wes Morgan 7/10 Leicester’s captain became the first ever Jamaican to score in the Champions League when he bundled in the opener. Made several crucial clearances and appears utterly transformed from the player that was struggling so desperately under Claudio Ranieri.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Robert Huth 7/10 Put in a tremendous shift alongside Morgan. Although the thought of the pair of them trying to keep the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala is nothing short of terrifying.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Christian Fuchs 8/10 Fantastic. A real danger going forward, combining nicely with Albrighton, and he had two good chances to get on the score-sheet. Equally impressive at the back where he relentlessly pressed Vitolo, preventing the Spaniard from flourishing.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Wilfried N'Didi 7/10 Another valiant performance from N’Didi in the middle of the park. Got the better of Steven N’Zonzi and almost got the better of Vicente Iborra, too. Stayed in defensive positions and allowed Drinkwater to get forward.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Riyad Mahrez 7/10 Repeatedly cut inside from the right-wing where his passes in-between the Sevilla defence impressed. Assisted Morgan’s goal, and should have assisted a counter-attacking goal for Islam Slimani, but took too long to pick his pass.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Danny Drinkwater 6/10 Missed a fine chance to score in the first-half but ultimately a good performance. His passing could have been better, though.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Marc Albrighton 8/10 A superb performance from the left-winger. Overlapped with Fuchs nicely down the left, so much so that Sampaoli was forced into an early double substitution. Scored a lovely second goal, bringing the ball under control and rifling a low shot past Sergio Rico.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Shinji Okazaki 7/10 Did what he usually does. Ran hard, pressed high and never allowed Sevilla’s defence the opportunity to build their attacks from the back.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Jamie Vardy 7/10 Back to his industrious, tenacious, relentless best. Didn’t get on the scoresheet but kept creating opportunities for himself. Did well not to react to Samir Nasri’s provocations in the second-half, too.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Sergio Rico 6/10 There was little he could have done to keep out Wes Morgan’s header from close range. And Rami should be blamed for Leicester's second, not Rico.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Nicolás Pareja 5/10 Not a particularly good night for the Argentinian. Made several important clearances but his distribution left an awful lot to be desired. Too often passed the ball straight to a Leicester player.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Gabriel Mercado 5/10 Sevilla struggled down the right, with Albrighton and Fuchs both causing a number of problems, and Sampaoli responded at half-time by hauling off his largely ineffective right-back.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Adil Rami 6/10 Had been one of Sevilla’s better players up until the second goal, which he was at fault for. His headed clearance didn’t have enough on it and was directed straight at the feet of Albrighton, who promptly lashed a low shot past Rico.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Sergio Escudero 6/10 Didn’t look as threatening as he in the first-leg in Andalusia. Was incredibly unlucky not to level the score in the second-half, though, with an unconventional, dipping strike which rattled the underside of the crossbar.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Steven N’Zonzi 4/10 Typically good in the air, playing in the heart of Sevilla’s midfield alongside Iborra. But his passing left a lot to be desired and he looked uncomfortable in possession whenever pressed. Missed a late penalty, his low effort struck nervously and far from the corner.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Vicente Iborra 6/10 Calmer and more composed in possession than N’Zonzi. Won a number of crunching tackles and stopped a mazy run from Albrighton early in the second-half with a well-timed challenge.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Pablo Sarabia 5/10 Posed little threat to Fuchs down the right. Struggled alongside Mercado playing behind him, and was also withdrawn by Sampaoli in a bold double substitution at the break.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Samir Nasri 5/10 The good: His repeated running in behind Leicester’s defence and his range of passing. The bad: Stupidly picking up a second yellow late in the second-half for an altercation with Jamie Vardy before attempting to get the English forward sent off. The ugly: An incandescent Martin O'Neill slamming the Nasri on BT Sport for being overweight.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Vitolo 5/10 It tells you everything about the winger’s all-action performance that he made the highest number of tackles of any Sevilla player (5). Will have been disappointed not to offer more going forward, however.
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Leicester vs Sevilla player ratings Wissam Ben Yedder 5/10 Looked dangerous in flashes but was ultimately on the ball too few times to truly threaten. On the occasions he did shoot, he failed to test Schmeichel. Missed a sitter of a rebound in the second-half.
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“We have played more like we did last season and we're reaping rewards. It was a fantastic night, incredible atmosphere.
"For a lot of us, we have come a long way, I've come from League Two and it;s incredible to be in the last eight. I don't mind [who we play], no matter who we get they'll be a top side.”
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