Leicester stun Sevilla to reach last eight after Kasper Schmeichel save

It was a raucous, extraordinary evening that ended with Leicester City celebrating the latest chapter in their remarkable story as Craig Shakespeare’s side took their place in the last eight of the Champions League. Wes Morgan and Marc Albrighton scored the goals that mean Leicester will join Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus in the quarter-final draw in Nyon on Friday. Just let that soak in for a moment.

It is an incredible tale and one that makes no sense on so many levels. Only two years ago Leicester were anchored to the foot of the Premier League and staring at the prospect of relegation to the Championship under Nigel Pearson. Now they are the English champions, flying the flag for their country in Europe’s premier club competition and managed by a 53‑year‑old who only got the job on Sunday night.

Shakespeare could be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss is about when it comes to management. He has now overseen three straight victories since taking over from Claudio Ranieri and this latest win, against one of the best teams in Europe, will live long in the memory for every Leicester supporter.

There were so many heroes for Leicester on an evening when they played with tremendous courage and belief to overturn the 2-1 deficit from the first leg, yet it was hard to look beyond Kasper Schmeichel for the game’s outstanding performer.

Having saved a penalty in the first leg, Schmeichel repeated the trick here, denying Steven N’Zonzi the goal that would have taken the game into extra time.

By that stage Sevilla were down to 10 men and Jorge Sampaoli, their manager, had been sent to the stands as a breathless encounter started to spiral out of control. Samir Nasri was shown a second yellow card moments earlier after squaring up to Jamie Vardy, with the two players going forehead to forehead after exchanging insults.

Vardy left himself open to accusations he exaggerated Nasri’s contact as he stumbled backwards, yet it was still a stupid thing for the Frenchman to do when already on a booking. Vardy also picked up a yellow card for his part in that incident.

The most telling blows, however, were landed in the Sevilla penalty area, where Morgan scored with his thigh from inside the six-yard box and Albrighton, who registered Leicester’s first goal in the Champions League in a 3-0 win in Brugge in September, drilled home the second.

Sevilla, who have won the Europa League in each of the past three seasons, seemed unable to cope with Leicester’s intensity and high-tempo approach as Shakespeare’s players snapped into tackles all over the pitch.

The Spanish side enjoyed plenty of possession, just as they did in the first leg, yet this time Leicester were much more combative and resilient without the ball, which is the major shift since Ranieri departed.

Shakespeare has gone back to the formula of last season, by encouraging his players to press high up the pitch and restoring Shinji Okazaki to the starting XI to scurry around between midfield and attack.

With Vardy working tirelessly up front, chasing lost causes and generally making a nuisance of himself, Sevilla were never allowed to settle on a night when the atmosphere was electric inside the King Power Stadium.

Vardy had a hand in the opening goal. Twisting and turning on the edge of the 18-yard box, the England international was clumsily brought down by Vicente Iborra, wide on the Leicester left. Riyad Mahrez flighted the free-kick that followed to the far post and Morgan, with not much finesse but plenty of desire, bundled the ball over the line. Cue pandemonium in the stands.

Leicester knew a 1-0 victory would be enough to see them through but that scoreline never looked likely in a match that was frantic and stretched from the outset.

Schmeichel denied Nasri as early as the fourth minute, diving low to his left to keep out a shot at his near post but the Leicester goalkeeper must have feared the worst when Sergio Escudero unleashed a tremendous 30-yard shot early in the second half that dipped over his head. Sampaoli, in what would become a familiar pose, held his head in his hands as the ball struck the underside of the bar and came out.

The Sevilla manager’s night was about to get worse. Leicester, in virtually their next attack, doubled their lead. Mahrez’s cross from the right failed to pick anyone out but Adil Rami could only head the ball towards the centre of the penalty area, where Albrighton was unmarked. The winger took a couple of touches to steady himself before fizzing a low shot past Sergio Rico.

Chances came and went at both ends before the flashpoint involving Vardy and Nasri, who took an age to leave the pitch after Daniele Orsato, the Italian referee, brandished a red card. Sevilla were then thrown a lifeline when Schmeichel, racing from his line, brought down Vitolo with 10 minutes remaining. The save that followed more than atoned and allowed Leicester to carry on dreaming.