Shakespeare targets Champions League return at Leicester

Craig Shakespeare has lofty ambitions for Leicester City this season, revealing a Champions League place is in their sights.

The former Premier League champions captivated the nation last season as they reached the Champions League quarter-finals – where they fell to Atletico Madrid.

It is set to be the most competitive Premier League campaign ever, with Everton joining the so-called ‘big six’ in the hunt for the title.

And Shakespeare sees no reason why Leicester can’t join the fight and repeat their success from two years ago.

Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images

“The players want that back, we’d like it back, the fans, everybody,” he said.

“It is the aim for everybody. Ultimately we know we want that back, we know what we need to do to get that.

“We would never take away the Champions League but maybe this season without having that, that gives us the focus to make sure the league is the priority.

“We know from last season, the top seven – because of how they finished the year before – were the ones who changed their managers, spent heavily in the transfer market, made it more difficult for ever the likes of a club like ours to win the league again.

“But we are in it to win games, to be competitive, to not make it easy for the rich clubs.

“That is why you are in it. I think it is that winning mentality that has stood us in good stead since we have been in the Premier League.”