The closest Leicester got to a European trip in recent years was crossing the Welsh border to play Swansea in the Premier League.Now, as the unlikely English champions, theyll be visiting Belgium, Portugal and Denmark -- and if all goes well, even more countries -- for matches in their first-ever campaign in the Champions League.Leicester is one of two newcomers in Europes elite club competition this season, along with Rostov following its second-place finish in the Russian league.Both teams were fighting relegation in their respective domestic leagues just two seasons ago, yet now they are mixing it with the cream of the continent.---LEICESTERIn its 132-year history, Leicester has only had four seasons of European competition -- the last coming in 2000 in the now-defunct UEFA Cup after winning the English League Cup. That was Leicesters last piece of major silverware before shocking the sporting world by winning the Premier League last season.The intervening 16-year period was a bumpy ride for the central English club, which bobbed up and down between Englands top two divisions -- and even spent a season in the third tier in 2008-09 -- and also drifted close to financial ruin before being taken over by a Thai consortium in 2010.The team, known as the Foxes, returned to the Premier League in 2014 and two years later they are the champions, completing the ultimate fairytale journey.Theres been something of a championship-winning hangover at Leicester, though, and the Champions League campaign, which starts at Club Brugge on Wednesday, will offer some respite after a sobering start to the Premier League title defense.Having lost just three league games last season, Claudio Ranieris team has lost two of its opening four matches this season and the manner of the defeats will be a concern.An opening-day 2-1 loss at promoted Hull and Saturdays 4-1 loss at Liverpool highlighted how much the team is missing NGolo Kante, the France midfielder sold to Chelsea in the offseason. Often it felt like Kante covered the ground of two players last season, offering excellent protection to a defense containing journeymen and even cast-offs.With Kante gone, Leicesters solidity has disappeared and the side looks open. Liverpool could easily have scored more than four goals at Anfield.We have to clear our minds, Ranieri said, and understand that in football we have to be strong, determined, aggressive and reactive.Its not all doom and gloom for Leicester, however.The club ended up being one of English footballs biggest spenders in the summer transfer window, breaking its transfer record twice to sign strikers Ahmed Musa, then Islam Slimani. The squad is now much deeper and stronger, while Ranieri managed to limit the major outgoings to just Kante, meaning key players Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez are still on board.In a sense, the pressure is off Leicester this season and it should just enjoy the Champions League campaign, especially considering its benign draw that will see the team also play FC Copenhagen and FC Porto. A couple of wins at its King Power stadium fortress and a place in the knockout stage could beckon.Once again, I say we are underdogs, said Ranieri, who is embarking on a sixth Champions League campaign with a sixth different club.And thats just how they like it in Leicester.---ROSTOVRostov almost did a Leicester last season in Russia, falling just short in its title challenge a year after narrowly escaping relegation.Rostov finished second, two points behind CSKA Moscow, to reach the third qualifying round of the Champions League and then beat famous European clubs Anderlecht and Ajax to make the group stage.The unheralded provincial side is breaking new ground, with its only previous experience of European competition being a brief one -- a loss in the Europa League playoffs in 2014. On that occasion, Rostov was excluded, then reinstated, from competition following a legal battle over financial issues, one of many episodes in a turbulent last few years.It was close to financial abyss in 2015 as the countrys recession hit Rostovs owners, the regional government.One coach, Igor Gamula, was suspended after saying the club had enough dark-skinned players and would not sign another. Then his successor, Kurban Berdyev, led Rostov on its unlikely title challenge only to quit for a better-paid job at Spartak Moscow.Spartak promptly changed its mind on hiring Berdyev and he is back at Rostov, listed as a vice-president/coach. One of his former assistants is the head coach, on paper at least, but Berdyev is likely to call the shots when it comes to Champions League tactics. He has experience of upsetting European giants, having beaten Barcelona away while Rubin Kazan coach.Meanwhile, a section of Rostovs Olimp 2 Stadium will be closed for its first home game in the Champions League because of racist behavior by fans during the playoff win over Ajax.The draw hasnt been kind to Rostov, which will face Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and PSV Eindhoven in Group D.Nike Air Vapormax Navy+Multi-Color . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Cheap Vapormax 95 . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-womens-clearance.html . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Cheap Vapormax Mens . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Cheap Vapormax Womens . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week.MACON, Ga. -- John Russ threw two touchdowns and ran for two more, leading Mercer to its first win of the season with a 34-27 victory over Tennessee Tech on Saturday.Russ threw for 259 yards for the Bears (1-2). Sam Walker caught both scoring passes and Cole Fisher kicked a pair of field goals.Mercer trailed through much of the game but was able to capitalize on two Tennessee Tech turnovers in the second half, the second leading to a Russ touchdown throw to Walker that put the Beaars on top for the first time, 24-21, with 2:44 left in the third quarter.ddddddddddddA fumble recovery for a score had Tennessee Tech up 27-24 but a Russ scoring run with 8:04 left in the fourth and Fishers second field goal helped put Mercer back on top for good.Michael Birdsong threw for 239 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Golden Eagles (1-2). ' ' '