Kenny says Dundalk can surpass Leicester

Stephen Kenny says Dundalk making the Europa League knock-out stages would be a greater achievement than Leicester's Champions League progression.

Leicester confirmed their qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday night with a 2-1 win over Club Brugge at the King Power Stadium, but Kenny says that Dundalk's own European odyssey has been more impressive given their meagre budget.

Dundalk lie second in Europa League Group D with four points from four matches, thanks to a 1-1 draw with Alkmaar in the Netherlands and a home win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv, and are well placed to make it through to the last 32 of the Europa League.

Zenit St Petersburg have already qualified with four wins from their four matches, with Maccabi level with Dundalk on four points, and Alkmaar propping up the group on two points.

"I think what we have been achieving is on a far higher scale, there's no comparison," he told a news conference ahead of the Lilywhites' Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar at the Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night.

"We're the lowest ranked side in the competition, we've come from nothing and yet we have competed as equals with every side that we have played.

"That said, Leicester have qualified from their group, we still have a lot of work to do."

Dundalk operated on a €1.1m annual budget until this year's European success, which earned the Co Louth club a €6.6m windfall, while Leicester's wage bill alone in their 2015-16 Premier League winning season was estimated to be around €57m.

"I would have thought as English champions they would have been considered favourites in that group," Kenny continued.

"When you have a player of the calibre of Jamie Vardy, the England number nine, turning down a move to Arsenal because he can get a similar deal at Leicester it gives you an idea of the sort of resources they have. They budget was probably four times what Bruges' would have been."

Dane Massey and Robbie Benson have been passed fit to play against the Eredivisie side following calf and hamstring problems respectively, but Stephen O’Donnell (groin), Ronan Finn (pelvis) and Chris Shields (groin) are injury doubts.

Photo(@Inpho/Gary Carr)

Dundalk's Europa League clash with Alkmaar will be shown live and free to air on eirSport 1 (KO Thursday, 20.05). To learn more about setting sport free visit www.eir.ie/sport .