A European Semi-Final & Finishing Strong – Foxes’ Season Review: Part Two

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A European Semi-Final & Finishing Strong – Foxes’ Season Review: Part Two

Continuing a look back at the 2021/22 season, LCFC.com reflects on events after the turn of the year, with European football still on the agenda for the Foxes.

2022-06-11T08:10:00.000Z

by Sam Jones

Published

11 Jun, 2022

A European Semi-Final & Finishing Strong – Foxes’ Season Review: Part Two

Continuing a look back at the 2021/22 season, LCFC.com reflects on events after the turn of the year, with European football still on the agenda for the Foxes.

Sam Jones

2022-06-11T08:10:00.000Z

A European Semi-Final & Finishing Strong – Foxes’ Season Review: Part Two

Continuing a look back at the 2021/22 season, LCFC.com reflects on events after the turn of the year, with European football still on the agenda for the Foxes.

Sam Jones

2022-06-11T08:10:00.000Z

A European Semi-Final & Finishing Strong – Foxes’ Season Review: Part Two

Continuing a look back at the 2021/22 season, LCFC.com reflects on events after the turn of the year, with European football still on the agenda for the Foxes.

Sam Jones

2022-06-11T08:10:00.000Z

A European Semi-Final & Finishing Strong – Foxes’ Season Review: Part Two

Continuing a look back at the 2021/22 season, LCFC.com reflects on events after the turn of the year, with European football still on the agenda for the Foxes.

Sam Jones

2022-06-11T08:10:00.000Z

The New Year kicked off in style as Leicester City put four past Watford once more, this time in the Emirates FA Cup. Marking another return to King Power Stadium for Claudio Ranieri, the fixture was also significant in handing senior debuts to youngsters Lewis Brunt, Wanya Marcal-Madivadua and Will Alves, the former named in the starting XI, while Kasey McAteer also featured in the competition for the first time.

Goals from Youri Tielemans, James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Marc Albrighton sealed progression into the fourth round, though that’s as far as the cup holders reached this time around.

Enduring a difficult run of form domestically through January and February, the European knockout round play-off tie against Randers provided a welcome distraction. City’s UEFA Europa Conference League campaign got off to the perfect start, winning 4-1 on Filbert Way, before a 3-1 success in the return leg in Denmark, courtesy of two stunning Maddison strikes.

The next test came against Ligue 1 outfit Rennes and taking a healthy 2-0 lead from the first leg, thanks to fine Albrighton and Kelechi Iheanacho finishes, Leicester were able to get the job done in France, with Wesley Fofana crucially scoring on his long-awaited comeback from an injury sustained in pre-season.

Better form was to come in the Premier League, too, with Burnley dispatched 2-0 at Turf Moor, before Leeds United were also put to the sword back on home soil four days later. Finishing the month with success against Brentford, a loss to Arsenal was the only blot on the copybook in March.

Unfortunate not to take all three points at Old Trafford at the beginning of April, drawing 1-1 with Manchester United after having a late Maddison winner chalked off by VAR, European competition was soon the focus once more, as Brendan Rodgers’ men welcomed PSV Eindhoven to Filbert Way.

Nothing could separate the sides during a cagey quarter-final first leg and they met again at Philips Stadion seven days later, after City overcame Crystal Palace 2-1 in the Premier League despite fielding a much-changed team.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who became an influential figure in the midfield across the second half of the season, netted his maiden Premier League goal – and what a strike it was - adding to his first strikes in the Europa League and Conference League earlier on in the campaign.

However, the Foxes’ European run looked to be coming to a close when Eran Zahavi grabbed the lead for PSV in Eindhoven, but with just 13 minutes on the clock, Maddison conjured up an equaliser, assisted brilliantly by Ayoze Pérez.

The visitors were not done there and, roared on by a magnificent following from the Blue Army at the far end of the ground, were not about to wait around for extra-time or penalties.

Two minutes of normal time remained as Patson Daka forced a save from Yvon Mvogo, parrying into the path of Ricardo Pereira, who made no mistake striking the ball home.

Cue pandemonium on the pitch and in the stands as one of the Club’s greatest and most dramatic European nights played out. Leicester had reached their first European semi-final.

Two successive draws against Everton and Aston Villa at the end of April quickly moved into preparation for facing Serie A giants Roma in the last four of the Europa Conference League. Once again drawn to play at home in the opening leg, another comeback was required to ensure parity was restored.

Lorenzo Pellegrini had the Giallorossi in front, before Ademola Lookman appeared to have equalised, though it was later credited as a Gianluca Mancini own goal. The tie was finely poised and very much in the balance heading to Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

An intimidating atmosphere greeted the Foxes inside the historic stadium and on the pitch an early header from Tammy Abraham settled matters, proving to be the difference in the Italian capital.

The European dream had ended, but there was still an opportunity to finish strongly in the league. Putting that disappointment behind them, a fine conclusion to the season saw Leicester claim 10 points from a possible 12 to attain eighth place in the Premier League.

A 3-0 home victory over Norwich City included a Jamie Vardy brace, bringing up two landmarks - 150 league goals for the Club and 160 Leicester goals in all competitions - for City’s exceptional No.9, while Maddison also added a third against his former side.

An even bigger margin of victory was chalked up four days after, beating Watford 5-1 at Vicarage Road despite the hosts taking an early lead. Danny Ward, making his Premier League debut for the Foxes, kept the Hornets at bay and the away side soon seized control of proceedings. Doubles for Vardy and Barnes arrived after Maddison’s equaliser, recording a third victory of the season over already-relegated Watford.

May's Goal of the Month, a sensational Maddison strike, earned a point at Chelsea in Leicester’s final away game of the campaign, before finishing with three points at home against Southampton. City’s No.10 was on target again to set the Foxes on their way, before Vardy added a second.

Saints captain James Ward-Prowse’s penalty halved the advantage but a late brace from substitute Pérez sealed a 4-1 triumph, ahead of the traditional lap of honour around King Power Stadium to thank the fans for their support across a challenging 2021/22 campaign.

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