In incredible circumstances, Leicester City currently lie top of the Premier League after avoiding relegation last year. We look back at their last European tie, which was in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup First Round against Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda).
First Leg
The first leg was played at Filbert Street, and resulted in a solid 1-1 draw for the Belgrade side. Red Star took the lead in the first minute after a superb strike from the Slovenia international Milenko Acimovic. Acimovic, who would move to Tottenham a few years later, picked the ball up on the halfway line, ran twenty yards before powering a 35-yard shot beyond the Leicester goalkeeper Tim Flowers. Acimovic tried it again a few minutes later, but his effort was narrowly off-target. Goran Drulic almost made it 2-0 after 30 minutes, but his chip sneaked over the bar. However, despite the away side dominating, Leicester equalised just before half time as Gerry Taggart got on the end of a Guppy cross.
Leicester began to dominate when Stan Collymore was introduced at half time, and were very unlucky not to take a lead to Vienna in the second leg. Muzzy Izzet saw his right footed volley just go over the bar, but the turning point came in the 70th minute when Red Star’s Steve Glogovac was dismissed for a robust challenge. Leicester missed their best chance not long after. Stan Collymore had an unbelievable opportunity just 4 yards from goal, but Aleksandar Kocic made a good save to keep the scores level.
The second leg was played at the Prater Stadium in Vienna due to security concerns, and Red Star progressed to the next round after winning 3-1. Goran Drulic put Red Star 1-0 up on 22 minutes after a through ball from Gorjan Bunjevcevic. Leicester had 2 big chances just after the goal, but Darren Eadie was unable to convert either of them. However, they equalised 3 minutes before half time through Muzzy Izzet. Guppy played a cross deep into the box, and Izzet was able to control the ball before converting from close range, sending the 2,000 travelling fans from the East Midlands into delirium. Red Star almost restored their lead seconds later, but Bunjevcevic hit the post from distance.
Despite conceding so close to half time, Red Star secured the result in the second half. Ivan Gvozdenovic scored just after half time to make it 2-1 on the night, after Goran Drulic played him in. Drulic then secured the result by making it 3-1. He received the ball from Pjanovic, and fired the ball low into the bottom corner.
What happened next?
Red Star progressed into the Second Round against Spanish side Celta Vigo, and narrowly lost 5-4. Leicester struggled to maintain their good domestic form after the defeat, and were eventually relegated to Division One the season after.
Football in Yugoslavia 