Benalouane: The Tie Is Open

- Yohan Benalouane says the UEFA Champions League tie against Atlético Madrid is still wide open

- Leicester City succumbed to a slim 1-0 defeat at the Vicente Calderón in their Quarter-Final first leg

- The City defence held firm and only conceded owing to a 28th minute penalty by Antoine Griezmann

- La Liga side Atlético visit Leicester City Stadium on Tuesday night in the second leg (7:45pm kick-off)

Benalouane was again dominant in defence for Craig Shakespeare’s men in Madrid and the Tunisian sees no reason why City cannot overturn the deficit on home soil and progress to the final four of European football’s premier club competition for the first time in their history next week. 

“The game is open,” he told LCFC TV. “We lost 1-0 but we know at home it will be difficult for Atlético. I hope we can play the same game against Sevilla. We prepare for the next game. The feeling was good because the team worked very well tonight. The important thing is that the second leg will be open. 

“It is the work of the team, we work together. It’s not one player or two – it’s all the team. The whole team worked very well tonight and that is the most important thing. In Spain, the weather is different so it was difficult but I think we did a good job tonight.” 

Before Atlético visit Leicester next week, a Premier League trip to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park awaits the Foxes and Benalouane is confident that they can get back to winning ways before returning to the European stage: “It’s another tough game and we have to do another great job if we want to win three points. Now we rest up before the weekend.”