Ranieri: Show Your Potential

- A number of the Club’s first-team players have not travelled to Portugal for City’s final Group G fixture 

- The Foxes boss says those involved on Wednesday deserve the opportunity to showcase their talents 

After confirming a number of his first-team players will not be involved, Claudio Ranieri wants those that will feature on Wednesday to show their potential against FC Porto. 

Having already qualified as Group G winners, Ranieri has omitted a number of his Leicester City players from the squad that has travelled to Portugal. 

Kasper Schmeichel (hand) and Bartosz Kapustka (ankle) are injured and Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Andy King have all been rested. 

Meanwhile, Islam Slimani and Robert Huth are one booking away from suspension and will not being risked by the City boss. 

Speaking ahead of the clash with Porto, Ranieri said: “Available are all the players who have travelled with me. Not available are [Islam] Slimani, [Kasper] Schmeichel, Robert Huth, [Jamie] Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and [Andy] King. 

“I prefer to leave and maintain there, because some are not in good condition and then some can recover well. The others are two (Slimani and Huth) yellow cards and don’t want to take a risk. 

“Of course he (Kapustka) could be available but he has a little injury to his ankle. For this reason he didn’t travel with us – he is very unlucky in this period. 

“Then, I want to see other players in a big team in a big competition – the Champions League against Porto. It’s a good chance for them to show their potential.” 

The City boss says his squad may have included those who have not travelled if the Foxes needed to win the game, but believes those who have deserve the opportunity to showcase their talents. 

He added: “It’s difficult to say because maybe if we had to win tomorrow, maybe all my players they would be here. 

“Now we have to also think about the Premier League. I can choose and I always said I have a very good team. 

“We work so good together but there are some players that haven’t played so far. They deserve to show they potential.”