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In the sixth of a new series, Leicester City historian John Hutchinson continues to uncover the stories behind some of the items in the club’s extensive collection of historic artefacts.

Leicester City’s collections include many valuable and unique mementoes from matches against European opponents.

Barcelona's skyline sculpture

When City faced Barcelona in the International Champions Cup on August 3, 2016 at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, the club was presented with a very distinctive iron sculpture.

It was exclusively designed and commissioned by FC Barcelona. It is one of a limited edition of 100.

The artefact is called ‘Linia de Cel’, or ‘Skyline’. It is just over a foot in length and depicts Barcelona’s skyline.

Featured in the sculpture from left to right are the Torre Agbar, the Sagrada Familia Basilica and Barcelona’s famous Camp Nou Stadium.

(Image: Plumb Images)

The Torre Agbar is 144 metres high, was completed in 2004 and symbolizes a geyser shooting up and touching the sky above Barcelona.

The famous Sagrada Familia Church was designed by Antoni Gaudi. Construction started in the 19 century. Although still incomplete, the Gothic and Art Nouveau building is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and was consecrated as a basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

The Camp Nou Stadium with its capacity of 98,000 is due to be upgraded over the next four years, raising its capacity to 105,000.

Over the years, Leicester City has accrued a large collection of trophies and mementoes. This iron skyline ranks amongst the most distinctive.

Two Champions League gifts from Sevilla

Leicester City accumulated a very distinctive collection of gifts from the clubs they faced in their Champions League campaign in 2016/17.

These came in a variety of shapes and sizes.

When City won their group stage, they were drawn against Sevilla in the round of 16.

Two of the items presented to Leicester on the occasion of the first leg of this tie at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium are illustrated here.

The first item is quite unlike any other in the Club’s collection. It consists of two clay torsos, each about 15 centimetres high.

(Image: Plumb Images)

The shirts of Leicester City and Sevilla, complete with the UEFA Champions League logo on the sleeves, have been accurately painted onto the torsos. On the reverse of the shirts the numbers 20 and 17 and the word ‘Champions’ appear.

The torsos are positioned on a base which bears an inscription “Sevilla Futbol Club to Leicester City FC. UEFA Champions League 16/17. Sevilla FC vs Leicester City FC. 22 February 2017.”

The gift was housed in a red presentation case, adorned with the Sevilla crest and the Champions League logo.

The second item is a Sevilla shirt signed by their first team squad.

(Image: Getty Images)

On the right hand sleeve underneath the Champions League logo a label has been added, commemorating the fact that Sevilla won the Europa League in 2016 for the third season in succession.

The crest on the shirt was designed in 1922. On the top left hand corner of the crest are three figures. The two on either side are the brothers Saint Isadoro, and Saint Leandro, who were both seventh century bishops of Sevilla.

(Image: Plumb Images)

The figure in the centre is Saint Fernando who, as King Fernando III, conquered the city from the Moors in 1248. His body lies in Sevilla’s cathedral.

On the top right hand side corner of the crest are the initials ‘SFC’ as they appeared on the club’s official crest between 1905 and 1922.

The lower part of the crest is inspired by the flag carried by King Fernando III during his conquest of the city in 1248.

(Image: Plumb Images)

A model of Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon Stadium

This model of the 55,000 seater Vicente Calderon Stadium was presented to the Club by our Champions League quarter final opponents Atlético Madrid.

Completed in 1966, the Vicente Calderon Stadium replaced Atlético’s old Metropolitan Stadium. It was originally called the Manzanares Stadium, named after the river which flows nearby. It was renamed the Vicente Calderon Stadium in 1972 in honour of a former club president.

The stadium has hosted 14 Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) finals. Leicester City centre-half John O’Neill played there for Northern Ireland in a match against France in the 1982 World Cup finals, and Martin O’Neill’s Leicester City side faced Atlético Madrid there in 1997 in the UEFA Cup tie which saw Leicester take the lead through an Ian Marshall goal before losing the game 2-1.

(Image: Plumb Images)

Famous for its red and white striped layout of seats, designed to reflect Atlético’s red and white striped shirts, the Vicente Calderon stadium was the first Spanish stadium to attain the five star UEFA Elite Stadium status.

This model is of particular significance because, despite resistance from some Atlético fans, this was the last season that Atlético Madrid played at this stadium.

Atlético’s new home is the recently completed 68,000 seater Wanda Metropolitano.

Limited edition Champions League tombstone

This limited edition artefact is a permanent reminder of Leicester City’s 2016/17 Champions League campaign and of the Club’s achievement in reaching the last eight in Europe’s premier club competition.

The crests of all 32 clubs who qualified the group stage of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League adorn the front of this memento. They are arranged into the eight groups of four which were determined in the draw in Monaco in August 2016 and which were organised in a way preventing teams from the same association facing each other.

(Image: Plumb Images)

Along with FC Rostov, Leicester City were making their debut in this competition, then in its 62 season. Formerly known as the European Cup, it became the Champions League 26 years ago.

Fans looking at these crests will be forever reminded of those truly memorable evenings in Bruges, Copenhagen, Porto, Seville and Madrid. They will also be reminded of the tremendous atmosphere at home games and of some remarkable performances, including, amongst others, the unforgettable win against Sevilla and the extraordinary second half against Atletico Madrid.

These evenings have entered into Leicester City folklore and will be talked about for years to come.