Brugge vs Leicester City player ratings: Was Riyad Mahrez the main man in Champions League opener?

Mahrez scored twice - including a stunning free-kick - to put Leicester top of Group G

Samuel Stevens
Jan Breydel Stadium
Wednesday 14 September 2016 22:49 BST
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Leicester City made a dream start in their first ever Champions League game by defeating Club Brugge 3-0 in Belgium.

Claudio Ranieri's Foxes, last season's unlikely Premier League title winners, had lost both of their opening away games domestically but had no such trouble on the continent.

Marc Albrighton broke the deadlock for Leicester before two set-pieces from Riyad Mahrez either side of half-time, one free-kick and the other a penalty, ensured the club's historic night will be remembered fondly.

Burnley will give the Foxes a sterner test than abject Brugge when they return to the Premier League on Saturday and Leicester must learn to cope with the demands of the league and European football.

But it was the perfect performance from the Foxes, 50-1 to win the competition after last season's shock Premier League victory, although things could have been so different if the hosts had taken a glorious opportunity after two minutes.

Abdoulay Diaby skipped through Danny Drinkwater's lunge and slipped in Jose Izquierdo but the forward's finish was woeful and he was made to pay three minutes later when Albrighton wrote his name into the Foxes' history books. It was scrappy stuff and a gift as Brugge got into an almighty mess but sent the travelling 1,400 Leicester fans into raptures.

Luis Hernandez launched a long throw into the box from the right and Ludovic Butelle came to punch but the ball brushed off Hans Vanaken's head and fell for the onrushing Albrighton to fire in from six yards.

Do you agree with our player ratings? See our take on Leicester's European bow above. Additional reporting by agencies.

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