Leicester are the only team that won’t be difficult for Real Madrid and Barcelona, claim Spanish press ahead of Champions League draw
Leicester have been written off by the media in Spain as Twitter users joke that Real Madrid are already warming up the Foxes' ball
IF Craig Shakespeare wants to motivate his players for the Champions League quarter-final, he could do worse than pull out a copy of Mundo Deportivo's front page.
The Barcelona-based newspaper marked every one of the Catalans' potential opponents with the words "difficult" or "very difficult", except for "achievable" Leicester.
Mundo Deportivo's front page also said: "Leicester are the only 'bargain' in a morbid Champions League quarter-final draw with [an] enormous level and huge rivals for Barca."
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The paper then mentions that every other team in the draw is in the top three of their domestic league, except for 15th place Leicester.
Madrid-based Marca were even less complimentary about the Foxes.
One journalist wrote in the paper: "Leicester. This is the name that all the quarter-finalists dream of in tomorrow's draw.
"The difference between Claudio Ranieri's former club and the rest is vast.
"Sevilla will carry [with them] the disappointment of the year being eliminated this week."
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And many users joked on Twitter that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has already warmed up Leicester's ball for the draw.
Los Blancos lifted last year's trophy after being handed Wolfsburg and Man City in the quarter and semi-finals respectively.
"Florentino gives the instructions with the Leicester ball for the draw this Friday."
"So Leicester qualify for the quarters... Florentino is preparing the hot ball."
"Monaco or Leicester? Tough decision for Florentino Perez."
"The Leicester ball will be so hot that experts have warned of a risk of fire in Nyon."
"Hot ball (Monaco).
"Ball boiled in volcanic lava (Leicester)."