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Riyad Mahrez dedicates goal against Spurs to Leicester City owner

  • Leicester City owner died in helicopter crash on Saturday
  • Four others die in wreckage outside the King Power stadium
  • Riyad Mahrez dedicates his goal against Spurs to the late owner

 

Saturday was a dark day for English football after Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s helicopter crashed outside the King Power Stadium following the Foxes’ 1-1 draw with West Ham.

Last night, fomer Leicester and now Man City player Riyad Mahrez, bought by Leicester during Srivaddhanaprabha’s time and who played a pivotol part in their title-winning season, dedicated his goal to his former club’s owner.

Mahrez scored 17 goals and made 11 assists on his way to being named PFA player of the year in Leicester’s title winning season. He was sold to Manchester City in the summer for £60m and scored the only goal in City’s 1-0 victory against Tottenham last night.

On Sunday, Leicester City confirmed the death of their owner and chairman via a press release which read: “It is with the deepest regret and a collective broken heart that we confirm our Chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, was among those to have tragically lost their lives on Saturday evening when a helicopter carrying him and four other people crashed outside the King Power Stadium. None of the five people on-board survived.”

 

Srivaddhanaprabha bought Leicester City in 2010 when the club were struggling in the championship. His influx in cash to the side saw them reach the Premier League in 2014 but their fortunes didn’t stop there. In the 2015/16 season, Leicester’s Premier League title win went down as one of the most inspiring moments in sports history and was all made possible due to Srivaddhanaprabha and the players he enabled the club to bring in. 

 

After the game, Mahrez told Sky Sports: “When I scored I put my hands in the sky for him, he did a lot for me and Leicester and it is difficult to speak about.”

He added “He was such a good person and had a big heart. It was heart-breaking and shocking for me to hear this news and for all of the other people who died with him. I am with Leicester and the family of the victims.”