Match ends, Leicester City 2, AEK Athens 0.
LeicesterLeicester City2AEK AthensAEK Athens0
Leicester City will be seeded in Monday's Europa League last-32 draw after sealing top spot in Group G with victory over AEK Athens.
The Foxes were 2-0 up after 14 minutes in a game they needed to win to finish above nearest rivals Sporting Braga.
They went ahead through Cengiz Under's volley, the Turkey winger's first goal since signing on a season-long loan.
England winger Harvey Barnes doubled the lead with a heavily deflected finish.
Progress adds to feel-good factor
Fourth in the Premier League table, three points behind leaders Tottenham, Leicester can now look forward to the knockout stage of the Europa League.
They finished on 13 points, the same number as Braga, but claimed top spot thanks a superior head-to-head record over their Portuguese rivals.
Two-time European champions Benfica and Real Sociedad, who sit second in La Liga, are among the unseeded teams Brendan Rodgers' side could face in February.
Leicester have overcome a number of injury setbacks to make steady progress, while the Europa League has given Rodgers the opportunity to give some of his younger players a chance to gain European experience.
Luke Thomas followed his goal at Sporting Braga last month with an assist for Barnes, who cut into the penalty area to score after the 19-year-old's ball over the top.
France Under-21 defender Wesley Fofana, also 19 and one of the finds of the season, finished the game with a 93% passing accuracy rate, while full-back James Justin gave another assured performance.
Having won just one of their previous five group games, AEK Athens were playing for pride.
Yet they offered very little threat and keeper Danny Ward was not required to make a serious save.
Under's finish was exquisite, the on-loan player from Roma punishing Stratos Svarnas' mistake by lashing the ball into the net.
Two minutes later it was 2-0, Barnes cutting into the penalty area before his shot ended up in the net after a heavy deflection off Ionut Nedelcearu.
It could have been more as Leicester carved out 16 chances, including six on target, in a dominant performance.
Barnes' impressive Europa League record - the stats
- Harvey Barnes has scored in three of his four starts in the Europa League.
- AEK Athens have lost 11 of their last 12 matches in the Europa League/Champions League, having gone nine unbeaten before this run.
- After no clean sheets in their first four home games of 2020-21, Leicester have recorded a shutout in four of their last five at the King Power in all competitions.
- Cengiz Under has been directly involved in six goals in his last 10 European starts for Leicester City and Roma (4 goals, 2 assists).
What's next?
Leicester are back in Premier League action on Sunday when Brighton are the visitors to the King Power Stadium (19:15 GMT).
Line-ups
Leicester
- 12Ward
- 2Justin
- 3FofanaSubstituted forMorganat 82'minutes
- 6Evans
- 33Thomas
- 26Praet
- 25NdidiSubstituted forMendyat 63'minutes
- 8TielemansSubstituted forChoudhuryat 82'minutes
- 19Ünder
- 15Barnes
- 14IheanachoSubstituted forPérezat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Schmeichel
- 5Morgan
- 9Vardy
- 11Albrighton
- 17Pérez
- 20Choudhury
- 24Mendy
- 28Fuchs
- 35Jakupovic
AEK Athens
- 1Tsintotas
- 26HnidBooked at 24mins
- 5Nedelcearu
- 24SvarnasSubstituted forShakhovat 56'minutes
- 88Vasilantonopoulos
- 20MantalosSubstituted forAlbanisat 66'minutes
- 8Gomes SimoesSubstituted forGalanopoulosat 81'minutes
- 6Krsticic
- 40Mitaj
- 9GarciaSubstituted forMacherasat 55'minutes
- 11AnsarifardSubstituted forOliveiraat 66'minutes
Substitutes
- 14Albanis
- 15Laci
- 17Tankovic
- 18Oliveira
- 25Galanopoulos
- 28Shakhov
- 30Athanasiadis
- 44Sabanadzovic
- 51Sardelis
- 52Christopoulos
- 53Macheras
- 99Theocharis
- Referee:
- Lawrence Visser
Match Stats
Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamAEK Athens
- Possession
- Home69%
- Away31%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away3
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away0
- Corners
- Home9
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Leicester City 2, AEK Athens 0.
Post update
Hand ball by Konstantinos Galanopoulos (AEK Athens).
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Attempt missed. Harvey Barnes (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by James Justin with a cross.
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Luke Thomas (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Nélson Oliveira (AEK Athens).
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Harvey Barnes (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Stavros Vasilantonopoulos (AEK Athens).
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Attempt missed. Nélson Oliveira (AEK Athens) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
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Attempt blocked. Nélson Oliveira (AEK Athens) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Konstantinos Galanopoulos.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Hamza Choudhury replaces Youri Tielemans.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Wes Morgan replaces Wesley Fofana.
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Hand ball by Wesley Fofana (Leicester City).
Substitution
Substitution, AEK Athens. Konstantinos Galanopoulos replaces Andre Simoes.
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Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Andre Simoes (AEK Athens).
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Harvey Barnes (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Theodosis Macheras (AEK Athens).
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Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Andre Simoes (AEK Athens).
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Comments
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Returns................take a bow.
Now there's a novel idea....!
Well done Foxes.
His gamble to take over a small town club like Leicester certainly looks to be paying off as his stock rises.