03 Nov 2018
Schmeichel 'shaking' before Foxes win

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said he was "shaking " in the warm-up before an emotional 1-0 win at Cardiff.

It was the Foxes' first game since owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others were killed in a helicopter crash at King Power Stadium.

Schmeichel was one of the first on the scene after the crash on 27 October.

"I am glad we got three points for him," said the Dane, 31, who was in tears during a minute's silence before kick-off.

"Today was difficult, coming out for the warm-up was tough, the first 10 minutes I couldn't steady myself, I was shaking a little bit," Schmeichel, who was part of Leicester's Premier League title-winning team in 2015-16, told Match of the Day.

During the pre-match warm-up, Leicester's players wore t-shirts bearing an image of Srivaddhanaprabha's face and the words 'The Boss'.

Leicester players and backroom staff lined up on the centre circle for a minute's silence with the Cardiff team, after the laying of wreaths, while both sets of fans unfurled banners.

Demarai Gray's scored the winner on 55 minutes, and removed his jersey to reveal an undershirt on which the words 'For Khun Vichai' were emblazoned. Schmeichel ran the length of the field to join the entire team in the celebrations.

After the final whistle, the Leicester players and backroom team stood and applauded with their fans long after the game had ended.

'Overwhelming sense of pride of being part of the family that Vichai built'

"That was a tough game not just on the pitch but mentally," added Schmeichel. "There are a lot of exhausted people in there now but I am proud of this team and the club, the way everyone has handled themselves has been unbelievable.

"It has been hard, we have tried for a few hours a day to be professional and train hard but everyone wanted to play and win for his family. His family have been strong, the courage they have had.

"I feel just an overwhelming sense of pride of being part of the family that Vichai built and the extended family of Leicester City."

The whole squad will travel to Bangkok for Srivaddhanaprabha's funeral, which started on Saturday. Manager Claude Puel said they will arrive back from Thailand in midweek, with a home game against Burnley on Saturday, 10 November - their first game at King Power Stadium since the incident.

"It was nice to get a win to take to Thailand now and hopefully we did his family proud," said Schmeichel.

"You couldn't ask for a better chairman. There are few people who come along in this life that have an impact on you, he had that on me and so many people and the outpouring of grief around the world shows that.

"Everyone grieves in different ways and the opportunity was given [to go the funeral] and we wanted to go. We are a family and wanted to pay our last respects together."