Ranieri Prepared For ‘Strong’ Porto

- The Foxes play their final UEFA Champions League Group G fixture against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men 

- Ranieri knows the Dragons are a talented opponent having spoken about them with former Porto defender Ricardo Carvalho 

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri believes FC Porto will be a formidable opponent on Wednesday, but knows his players have the pedigree to get a positive result. 

A talented outfit, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side need to equal FC Copenhagen’s result against Club Brugge in order to secure safe passage to the last-16. 

The Foxes edged Porto 1-0 in Leicester back in September thanks to Islam Slimani’s solo strike, but Ranieri already held Wednesday’s opponents in high regard having discussed them with former Dragons defender Ricardo Carvalho when at Monaco. 

Ranieri said: “Often when I was at Monaco I spoke with Ricardo Carvalho and he always told me they were a fantastic club that are well organised and very strong at home.

“I am waiting this kind of performance tomorrow (Wednesday). They will attack and want to score a goal, but we are very dangerous and we can score again. 

“Porto is a great club and they want to beat us tomorrow to go to the next stage, but I have good players and they will show that tomorrow.” 

While unbeaten in five UEFA Champions League fixtures – winning four and drawing one – City are yet to hit form in the Premier League, but Ranieri knows if his side continue to work hard, they will find their feet on the domestic front. 

He added: “I know now we are involved with a lot of teams in a battle, but Leicester are used to being in a battle. Two years ago, the relegation battle, last season, to win the title. The mentality is the same.

“Always you have to be positive and give 100 per cent on the pitch. Every time you have to train well. I’m very happy with my players because they always try to do their best. 

“In this moment, it’s difficult ‘okay, we have trained well but we have lost’, but if we continue to believe and stay together, sooner or later we will change the momentum.”