Leicester have been the architects of their own downfall at times this season.

They nearly drop another clanger as Kasper Schmeichel gifts the ball to Randers. His defence rallies, though.

Fine until the cross.

Patson Daka gets in down the right but smashes his delivery way over everyone and out for a throw on the opposite side.

The initial corner is poor and cleared at the near post. Youri Tielemans looks to fire one from range but his effort is blocked by an away player.

Leicester are firmly on the front foot here. They have a corner.

Early chance for the home side.

Harvey Barnes' shot from range is blocked but loops to Ademola Lookman, who takes a touch and is tackled.

On BT commentary, Martin Keown suggests Lookman should have volleyed it. Renowned for his wonder-volley goals was Martin.

Just kidding, he probably should have had a crack to be fair.

Leicester are certainly taking this seriously. James Maddison may be sat on the bench, but other than that it's a strong Foxes XI.

I was wondering if they'd just play the Europa League theme before this. That's exactly what happened. Conference League got a way to go yet before it gets its own soundtrack.

Anyway, we are under way.

This we largely Leicester v Randers tonight, with updates from around the Europa ties.

If you're after dedicated Celtic coverage, you can find it here.

Wilfred Ndidi says Leicester's players "needed a wake-up call" from boss Brendan Rodgers after sliding down the Premier League table.

The Foxes manager called for his players to "prove they were good enough to be at the club" after the FA Cup defeat by Nottingham Forest and Ndidi says it was an important message to get across.

"Kudos to Brendan as he is always there for us," said Nigeria midfielder Ndidi. "We needed a wake-up call and it really was when he said those things.

"We know what we want as players and for the club and we need to work harder to make that happen."

Leicester face Danish side Randers in the knockout stages of the inaugural Europa Conference League on Thursday night and Ndidi, who could make his 200th appearance for the club, sees the competition as a chance to take something positive from a disappointing campaign.

"Playing in Europe is a really good feeling," he said. "It's another great opportunity for us to be at our best and to come out with something from the season."

Brendan Rodgers says he "loves the club and working with the players" at Leicester after a "challenging" run of results and performances.

The Foxes have dropped into the bottom half of the Premier League table and were dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship side Nottingham Forest, but Rodgers says he doesn't feel any extra pressure.

"I try to stay calm and in control of everything," he said before Leicester's Europa Conference League tie with Danish side Randers.

"I am experienced enough to regulate the pressure and have never been one where my mood shifts based on what other people write and say.

"I love working here and will keep smiling and enjoying my job until someone tells me differently."

The Leicester boss was also encouraged by the performance in the draw with West Ham on Sunday, seeing shades of the side that has challenged for the top six in the past two seasons.

"We showed lots of elements that have made us successful in that game," he said. "No doubt it's been a challenging season but we continue to do our best and be positive."

Image source, Getty Images

It would have been inconceivable to even consider it a few months ago, but Brendan Rodgers is actually under threat of the sack at the moment (if you believe the rumours).

Despite those two fifth-place finishes and an FA Cup win as recently as last season (surely more than any Leicester fan has any right to expect), the Northern Irishman is reportedly on the brink because he has had the temerity to oversee a slight dip in form.

Some outlets are even suggesting a loss tonight and failure to beat Wolves at the weekend could be curtains.

The announcement today of £33m losses for 2020-21 probably don't help ease the pressure. This is now a sport that has sold itself to the money men after all.

Image source, Getty Images

So, what do you need to know about Randers then?

Well, they're a Danish side founded in just 2003. Just a few years later, in 2006, they would win the Danish Cup, becoming the first team since 1974 to claim the trophy despite playing in the second-highest league in Denmark. They have a bit of a rollercoaster time of it since, bouncing between leagues under managers such as Colin Todd and John Jensen.

They're now coached by the excellently named Thomas Thomasberg, under whom they pushed Galatasaray close in the Europa League playoffs earlier in the season after qualifying for the tournament courtesy of another Danish Cup win in 2021.

Four successive draws and a big win over CFR Cluj helped them come through their Conference League group to be here.

The Danish Superliga has yet to resume again this year, so Randers have plugged the gap by playing friendlies. They sit in fifth position in the table, seven points adrift of the leaders FC Midtjylland.

It's not been as much fun being a Leicester fan this season as the last two. After two fifth-placed finishes, inconsistent league form this campaign makes a three-peat very unlikely.

And now they find themselves dropped into Uefa's new third-tier tournament, the Europa Conference League. Yes, OK, it's still playing in Europe and that is not to be sniffed at, except for the fact that it most definitely is used by fans as a fresh stick to beat ambitious clubs that don't quite hit the heights they hope.

The Foxes are here because they finished third in their Europa League group. Danish side Randers, on the other hand, are breaking new ground by reaching the knockout rounds of European competition for the very first time.

Cheers Emlyn.

We've no time to waste tonight. To Leicester, where the Foxes are hosting the Horses, otherwise known as Randers.

I'd better hand over to Phil Dawkes to talk you through the next game...

Bye.

It's all over. Barcelona's Europa League return ends in a draw with Napoli.

Napoli are getting someone ready I think. It's like they've just remembered they can make a concussion sub.

Pedri puts in a cross from deep but Luuk de Jong's stretching header is straight at Alex Meret.

Fabian Ruiz hasn't come back on after that clash of heads so Napoli are down to 10.

I think we are going to get close to 100 minutes here. Play resumes with both players patched up.

A break in play following a clash of heads as Fabian Ruiz tries and succeeds in stopping Gavi scoring a header.