Ranieri: An Important Match

- 22 players featured as the Foxes got their pre-season schedule off to a winning start 

- Demarai Gray and Jeffrey Schlupp found the back of the net for City 

After Leicester City beat Oxford United 2-1 on Tuesday evening, manager Claudio Ranieri emphasised just how important the fixture at the Kassam Stadium proved to be. 

A total of 22 players took to the pitch under the City boss, with a blend of youngsters, experienced players and summer signings all helping the Foxes record a 2-1 victory. 

Oxford took the lead through Chris Maguire, but goals from Demarai Gray and Jeffrey Schlupp helped City beat Michael Appleton’s men. 

And while a victory proved to be positive, Ranieri expressed that the clash with Oxford proved vital in assessing how his players coped in their first pre-season encounter. 

“It was important to make a very good session,” Ranieri told LCFC TV. “It was our first friendly match and we won which is good, but it’s important that nobody got an injury. 

“We increased our fitness and stamina and that is important – it’s important to repeat some movement. Some players played 60 minutes and the others played just 30 or 45 minutes. 

“The plan was okay. Everybody was involved and everybody understood what our movement, idea and philosophy. I’m very, very pleased with them so far.” 

Next up for City is their first fixture in the International Champions Cup – a clash with Scottish champions Celtic in Glasgow. 

Ranieri added: “The players’ condition is slowly getting better and now we have three friendly matches in the International Champions Cup.

“It is very important for us to improve our experience against great, great teams. It will be a very, very good match in Glasgow. I want to see all my players under pressure.”