William Shakespeare has written some incredible tales, but even the Bard would have struggled to conjure what Leicester did in 2015/16, or what they managed to do a year later under his namesake, Craig Shakespeare.
Defending Premier League champions, Leicester had sacked heroic manager Claudio Ranieiri due to their miserable league form as well as their defeat away to Sevilla in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. For as much as the Foxes had been outplayed in Andalucia, Sevilla had scored just two goals and Jamie Vardy’s 73rd minute strike gave Leicester a vital away goal.
The second leg at the King Power was just Shakespeare’s third game in charge and, after winning his first two, his side made it three in a row by sensationally beating Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla 2-0. This put them into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they eventually lost, and Shakespeare himself lasted just 26 games in total, losing his job in October 2017.
The Leicester side that achieved this feat is ripe with iconic names, essentially just the 2016 Premier League champions minus N’Golo Kanté, but what about that Sevilla side? They were three-time defending Europa League winners and got tuned up by little Leicester. Where are the XI and subs from that magical night at the King Power now? We’ve had a look!
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Sergio Rico
Goalkeeper
Rico made some big saves at the King Power to keep Sevilla alive in the tie and could do little to handle the Leicester goals.
Where are they now? After an unsuccessful temporary spell at Fulham, Rico joined PSG on loan as a back-up goalkeeper. He’s still in Paris, making the move permanent in 2020, but the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma relegated him to third choice. He spent a brief spell on loan at Spanish side Mallorca in 2022, but after conceding six to Granada he lost his place in the starting XI and returned to the French capital.
Gabriel Mercado
Right-back
Mercado was one of the best signings by Jorge Sampaoli as he took over the three-time defending Europa League winners. He was also the one who failed to mark Wes Morgan for the captain’s goal to open the scoring.
Where are they now? Mercado spent just three seasons in Seville before joining Al-Rayyan in Qatar. He’s currently playing for Internacional in Brazil and is most notable for scoring against France in the 2018 World Cup.
Nico Pareja
Centre-back
Nico Pareja had been a mainstay of Sevilla’s first two Europa League wins and after injury robbed him of taking part in the third, he was back in the side for this Champions League tie only to see them fall to Leicester. Pareja struggled with Vardy all night long.
Where are they now? After leaving Sevilla, Pareja spent one final season with Atlas in Mexico, making just four appearances before retiring.
Adil Rami
Centre-back
The former Mr. Pamela Anderson spent two years at Sevilla and it was his poor clearance that led to Marc Albrighton’s goal on that famous night, the dagger in the heart of Sevilla’s aspirations.
Where are they now? Rami is playing for Troyes in Ligue 1, having left Sevilla in 2017 to join Marseille (with spells at Fenerbahce, Sochi and Boavista following).
Sergio Escudero
Left-back
Escudero thundered a long-range shot off the underside of the bar in a desperate attempt to try and get Sevilla a goal.
Where are they now? Escudero established himself as a starter for Sevilla over multiple seasons but was eventually usurped by Sergio Reguilon. He returned to Spain, in 2021 to sign for Granada, before joining Valladolid 18 years after leaving the club where he started his career in the youth system.
Steven Nzonzi
Defensive midfield
The midfield maestro who orchestrated Sevilla’s third Europa League win looked a playmaker in his pomp, but he wasn’t at his best against Leicester and missed a crucial late penalty that would have forced extra time.
Where are they now? Nzonzi was linked with numerous big sides and was even in France’s World Cup-winning squad in 2018, but when he left Sevilla it was for Roma, then Galatasaray and Rennes. He’s now at Al-Rayyan in Qatar.
Vicente Iborra
Defensive midfield
The hard-tackling Sevilla captain was a relentless force in the middle of the pitch.
Where are they now? Iborra actually left Sevilla for Leicester at the end of the 2016/17 season (if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!) but his spell in England was poor and he left again for Villarreal, before joining Levante on loan.
Pablo Sarabia
Right-wing
Sarabia was a new arrival from Getafe that season but was poor at the King Power and got subbed off at half-time.
Where are they now? Sarabia went from strength to strength at Sevilla and a 22-goal season convinced PSG to buy him where he was a decent back-up for two years. The arrival of Lionel Messi has forced him out on loan to Sporting CP, however, before joining fellow Premier League side Wolves in January after being called up for the 2022 World Cup by Spain.
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Samir Nasri
Attacking midfield
The ever-controversial Samir Nasri was sent off for butting Jamie Vardy (albeit Vardy exaggerated the contact), killing his team’s chances.
Where are they now? The loan season at Sevilla having failed to resurrect him, Nasri tried Antalyaspor, then West Ham, then Anderlecht. Nothing could get him back to his Arsenal levels, and he officially in 2021 after a year without a club.
Vitolo
Left-wing
Vitolo was the hard-running winger that was a mainstay in all three Europa League wins. He won Sevilla’s penalty at the King Power.
Where are they now? That season was his last for Sevilla as he joined Atlético Madrid (before being sent straight on loan to Las Palmas). He was moderately successful in Madrid, playing bit-part roles as Atleti won the Europa League and La Liga. He has now returned on loan to Las Palmas after spending the 2021/22 season with Getafe, where he made just seven appearances.
Wissam Ben Yedder
Striker
Signed to replace Kevin Gameiro, Ben Yedder wasn’t at his best in Leicester as he missed a couple of great chances. One on the rebound from Escudero’s thunderbolt off the bar was really bad.
Where are they now? After 70 goals in 138 games for Sevilla, Ben Yedder moved to Monaco where he is still playing to this day, having scored at last count 96 goals in 162 games. He remains intensely prolific.
Subs:
Mariano
Right-back
Came on at half-time to try and add some impetus to Sevilla but was unable to.
Where are they now? Mariano left Sevilla that summer and joined Galatasaray. After three seasons in Turkey he joined Atlético Mineiro back in Brazil where he briefly reunited with former Sevilla head-coach Jorge Sampaoli.
Stevan Jovetic
Forward
Jovetic was a former golden boy of European football trying to rebuild himself. He came off the bench against Leicester and sadly for him didn’t manage to swing the game back his team’s way.
Where are they now? When his loan to Sevilla ended, he moved to Monaco where he spent four injury-hit years. He is currently playing for Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga.
Joaquin Correa
Winger
After missing a penalty in the first leg, Correa was only a sub in the second but he failed to impact proceedings.
Where are they now? Correa left Sevilla in 2018 for Lazio and after three good years there he left along with manager Simone Inzaghi to join Inter (on loan with an obligation to buy), where he bagged a brace on his debut.
Unused subs:
David Soria
Goalkeeper
Where are they now? After leaving Sevilla in 2018, Soria joined Getafe where he remains the starter.
Clement Lenglet
Centre-back
Where are they now? Lenglet joined Barcelona in 2018 and while his career at the Camp Nou started superbly, it descended into something of a farce. He is currently on loan at Tottenham in the Premier League, where it is unclear whether they will make the move permanent in the summer.
Matias Kranevitter
Defensive midfield
Where are they now? Kravevitter was meant to be the next great Argentine midfielder, but could never find his feet in Europe. He is currently playing back in Argentina for River Plate after a spell for Monterrey in Mexico.
Franco Vazquez
Winger
Where are they now? After a positive debut season in 2016/17, Vazquez became a mainstay of the Sevilla side for many years until the arrival of Julen Lopetegui. Then in summer 2021 he joined Parma, taking the No. 10 shirt.