Leicester City, the 2016 Premier League champions, have been relegated from the top-flight division after a dramatic final day of the season. Despite securing a 2-1 victory over West Ham, the Foxes’ fate was sealed due to Everton’s triumph over Bournemouth.
Heading into the crucial match, Dean Smith’s team found themselves in the relegation zone, trailing Everton by a mere two points in the 17th position. However, Leicester City’s Harvey Barnes emerged as the hero of the day, scoring a crucial opener (34) in tandem with Kelechi Iheanacho, temporarily lifting the team out of the bottom three.
Nevertheless, the King Power Stadium was soon shrouded in silence as Abdoulaye Doucoure unleashed a stunning strike at Goodison Park, giving Everton the lead against Bournemouth. Leicester’s hopes dwindled further when Wout Faes netted his maiden goal for the club (62) with a powerful header from Youri Tielemans’ corner. Despite the valiant effort, the goal failed to uplift the spirits as the team’s fate was no longer within their control.
Pablo Fornals heightened the tension for Leicester City by reducing the deficit in the dying moments of the match (79). Although the hosts managed to secure victory, ending a five-game winless streak, it proved to be too little, too late for the once-dominant champions. The fairytale story that had captivated football fans across the globe has reached its unfortunate end.
Leicester City will now face the arduous task of rebuilding and regaining their place in the Premier League. The road ahead promises to be challenging, but the team will undoubtedly draw inspiration from their remarkable triumph in 2016 as they strive for redemption.
