Leicester won their second game in the Champions League last night, and took a huge step towards the knockout stage of the competition. Riyad Mahrez was superb against Porto, a constant threat running at defenders. He created Leicester’s goal with a superb cross to Slimani, after trapping a long ball perfectly. He was taken off to a huge and well-deserved ovation from the crowd at the King Power.
People have questioned whether last season could have been a fluke for Mahrez as it was for Leicester, and that his form would drop off this season. But more performances like this will cement his status and make offers from top teams like Real Madrid inevitable next summer. The Algerian’s dribbling ability makes him an ideal target for a club playing in Spain, where players of his type are at their most prevalent and effective. One certainly wouldn’t bet against a huge bid from the Spanish capital, or perhaps even Barcelona, in the near future.
Leicester held onto their stars this summer, but with their league form no longer title-winning, one wonders whether some of their players might see this Champions League campaign as a nice ending to their time in the Midlands.