LEICESTER CITY’S hopes of a first-ever European final ended in heartbreak as Jose Mourinho’s Roman Gladiators put the Foxes to the sword.
Yet ironically, it was an Englishman, Tammy Abraham, who delivered the fatal 11th-minute wound which Leicester never recovered from.
Tammy Abraham netted in the 11th minuteCredit: REX FEATURESThe Englishman netted his 25th goal of the seasonCredit: REX FEATURES
The striker, who failed to fit in at Chelsea, will forever be a hero to his legion of Roma fans after scoring his 27th goal of the season with a stunning header which ripped past Kasper Schmeichel.
That sent Abraham to the top of the Europa Conference League scoring charts with nine goals, and guaranteed him legendary status with Roma’s success-starved fans who can now dream of winning their first major European trophy since 1961.
Meanwhile, Rodgers was left to soothe this gut-wrenching defeat over a consolation mug of tea with Mourinho – when he had hoped to be drinking from a far more glamorous cup in Tirana in 13 days.
Instead, Mourinho – the last manager to lead an Italian side to European glory in 2010 with Inter Milan – will look to repeat the feat in Albania.
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He is also the first boss to reach the final of a major European competition with four different clubs, having done so with Porto, Int, Manchester United and now Roma.
He had appealed to Roma’s support to ‘play the game,’ rather than watch it and his Roman legions responded to create a cauldron like atmosphere.
Blood red and yellow flags flapped in every corner of the Stadio Olimpico, apart from the small pen where 3,500 Leicester fans dodged a couple of flares which were directed their way before kick-off.
As the teams emerged two huge banners featuring massive Centurians stood guard over the Giallorossi fans below in the Curva Sud, home to the club’s most loyal ultras.
Below a message in Latin: “In Britannia cuncti nomen romanorum horrebant.”
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“In Britain everyone dreads the name of the Romans.”
Meanwhile, in the posh seats, two of Rome’s most famous citizens were lauded by both sets of fans.
Rome-born Claudio Ranieri received a merited ovation from Leicester fans for his title-winning contribution to their history, while home fans hailed club legend Francesco Totti.
It didn’t take long for the cat-and-mouse game of tactics between Mourinho and Rodgers to begin.
Unfortunately for the Foxes, Mourinho won round one convincingly as Roma floored the visitors with a sucker punch opener after 11 minutes.
Leicester had started positively enough, forcing an early corner which James Maddison flighted in and Chris Smalling clumsily pinned Wesley Fofana down to prevent him making his run.
But Serbian ref Srdjan Jovanovic saw nothing amiss to the Foxes’ fury and, having been let off the hook, Roma went on to dominate the first half.
Their inspirational skipper Lorenzo Pellegrini led the charge with a dipping free kick which beat Leicester’s two man wall but Schmeichel brilliantly beat the ball into the turf and over his crossbar.
As Roma prepared for the corner Rodgers confused Roma by leaving three men – Maddison, Ademola Lookman and Harvey Barnes on the halfway line against TWO home defenders, before Mourinho roared for another body to stay back.
But the ploy failed to pay-off as the hosts scored from their next corner as Abraham cashed in.
Pellegrini sept the ball into the heart of the Foxes box and the former Chelsea striker soared above Ricardo Pereira to power home his 27th goal of an incredible season.
It was just the start Rodgers must have dreaded and it could have been worse as Pellegrini ran riot, finding space all over the park to strut his stuff.
Schmeichel defied Roma’s leader again, shovelling Pellegrini’s angled shot for another corner, then Nicolo Zaniolo was a stud’s length away from finishing off a Pellegrini delivery.
Vardy sent Roger Ibanez crashing with a tackle straight from his Stockbridge Steelers days before Fofana deflected a Zaniolo shot as Roma turned the screw.
Tempers were fraying and Mancini was booked for an over the ball tackle on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and at the break Roma had managed four shots on target to Leicester’s none.
Rodgers sent on Kelechi Iheanacho and Daniel Amartey for wingers Lookman and Barnes at the start of the second half.
But a long range shot way off target from Dewsbury-Hall summed up their lack of firepower.
Even when Maddison picked out Jamie Vardy with a cleverly disguised corner, the veteran’s shot crashed off Abraham, who was doing more than most to end England’s interest in this competition.
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In a last throw of the dice Rodgers sent on Timothy Castagne and then Ayoze Perez for Pereira and Dewsbury-Hall.
But a couple of long-range shots from Maddison, then Iheanacho, were easily gathered by Rui Patricio as the Foxes’ Euro dream fizzled out in frustration.
