Diego Simeone full of hope for Atletico Madrid in UEFA Champions League

Leicester’s thrilling Champions League debut is at an end after a 2-1 aggregate defeat to Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Not only gliding past defenders but also when tracking back on defensive duties of his own – disrupting the advance of Riyad Mahrez in one early intervention. Registering eight shots at goal, attempting 12 crosses and created three chances – all to the visitors’ none – and had the away side on the backfoot as they made 18 clearances.

With half an hour remaining Leicester’s lifeline arrived in the form of Vardy when the England striker calmly side-footed past Oblak after Chilwell’s shot flew across the area.

Leicester City’s Christian Fuchs, dejected after the match.

JAMIE Vardy said he and his Leicester team-mates gave everything in their unsuccessful bid to prolong the club’s Champions League campaign on Tuesday night. I’m not sure who thought we could get this far, but we believed in ourselves and we achieved something massive. But Leicester responded and Jamie Vardy’s second-half goal gave them a glimmer of hope. “They made a lot of blocks on the line”.

“What a great performance from our competitors tonight”.

“But I have to say what a great performance from Leicester, it was nearly a pleasure to compete against them”. They never gave up and persevered until the end.

Shakespeare said that this run, in which last season’s unlikely champions outlasted all the other English teams in Europe, will inspire his players to go on and return to the continent’s top level.

Craig Shakespeare backed Atletico Madrid to win the Champions League after Diego Simeone’s side knocked out his Leicester City team 2-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

The Argentine coach has transformed Atletico from sleeping giants to one of Europe’s most feared teams in his five years in charge and he said he had fulfilled his initial aim when he took the reins of an ailing club in 2012. “Maybe we needed to be a bit more aggressive to get a better result, but we have to understand that even after going down a goal our opponent stayed playing tightly on defence”. This season is ending with a more modest target: Survival. His fine finish set up a thrilling final half-hour and who knows what might have happened had either of his two attempts soon afterwards gone in.

But whatever the future brings, Leicester have been on a journey that neither their fans, their players, nor the world of football will ever forget. On the basis of that improbable and rapid climb, little will seem impossible for the years or generations to come at Leicester.

Atletico came within minutes of beating Real in the 2014 final, only to lose 4-1 after extra time, and went down on penalties in the 2016 decider.

“But there will be no complaints from the players or anyone if he does get the job”. The enchanting exploits they produced on the field, will live on.