Porto crush hapless Leicester to inflict heaviest defeat ever for an English side in the European Cup

Porto eased into the Champions League knockout stages on Wednesday with a 5-0 win over Leicester City’s hapless second-string side, who suffered the heaviest defeat ever by an English side in the European Cup.

With their qualification as group G victors assured, the English champions changed 10 of their first-team line-up, leaving their hosts to cash in hungrily with a double from Andre Silva and fine strikes from Jesus Corona, Yacine Brahimi and Diogo Jota.

No English team had suffered such a huge loss in the 61-year annals of Europe’s premier club competition and it was the worst reverse for any Premier League club in continental combat since Everton’s 5-0 defeat, also in Portugal, at Benfica in the 2009-10 Europa League.

The dismal performance prompted manager Claudio Ranieri, who has overseen a poor defence of the Foxes’ league title while thriving on European nights, to admit afterwards: “I want us to show our character and our strength. We didn’t do that well enough.

“I have a clearer idea about my players now.”

Leicester had conceded only one goal in their previously unbeaten first Champions League campaign but young stand-in goalkeeper Ben Hamer became the first English goalkeeper to concede five goals on his Champions League debut.