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Wednesday, 28 September 2016

We have to stay calm! - Claudio Ranieri refusing to think about knock-out stages as Leicester continue perfect Champions League start

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri insists he and his players are not thingking about the Champions League knockout stages, despite the Foxes’ perfect start to the competition.

The Premier League club top Group G after securing a 1-0 win at home to Porto on Tuesday night thanks to Islam Slimani's header.

It gives the Foxes back-to-back victories after they beat Club Brugge 3-0 in their first ever Champions League game a fortnight ago.

Leicester have a two-point lead over group rivals FC Copenhagen, who beat Brugge 4-0 on Tuesday, but Ranieri remained tight-lipped over their chances of qualification.

"I am superstitious, we have to stay calm, Copenhagen won 4-0 and they are very organised," he said. "For us now it's important to clean our mind and go back to the Premier League.

"It was important to win against Porto, because they are a very good team. They have quality players.

"I spoke a lot about making a clean sheet here. My players were very concentrated, they were strong, attentive in every situation.

"It was good for everyone after the bad defeat at Manchester United [a 4-1 defeat on Saturday]."

Slimani has now scored three goals in his first four Leicester games and, following his effort at the King Power Stadium, Ranieri said he had told the Algeria international and his team-mate Riyad Mahrez he expected them to produce.

The £29million forward has now scored six goals against Porto in 2016 to be labelled the 'Dragon Slayer' - Porto are nicknamed the Dragons - after his strikes for former club Sporting.

"I was very confident with Slimani - because he often scored against Porto when he was a Sporting player," he said.

"I spoke with Riyad and Islam and said: 'Come on guys, let's make something special', and they made the pass and goal and it was good. After we defended very well and were very well organised."

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