"?Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has said that Leicester City 'broke all the rules' by winning the Premier League last season, and he does not expect to see any kind of underdog victory during this summer's European Championships, instead seeing hosts France as much more likely champions, as reported by Croydon Advertiser.
Speaking in his regular column in the Daily Express, Pardew, who led Palace to the FA Cup final last month before being beaten 2-1 by Manchester United, went on to say: "Leicester won the Premier League this season with the least amount of possession, but I cannot see the same result in France".
The hosts are overwhelming favourites to win their third European Championship on home soil, with current holders Spain and World Cup winners Germany also heavily favoured.
Leicester had survived relegation at the end of the 2014/15 season, and were given odds of 5000-1 to win the Premier League for the 2015/16 campaign. They were expected to be battling the drop once again, but Claudio Ranieri's side stunned world football as they won the league with two games to spare.
Describing the Foxes' tactics during their unlikely triumph, the former Newcastle manager explained, "Leicester broke all the rules. Before then, we thought it was about trying to copy Barcelona: dominate possession, tire out the opposition and then find a moment. 1-0. Then sit back, frustrate, try to draw out the opponent who is trying score an equaliser and then pick them off. 2-0".
There have been some shocks in terms of European Championship winners over the years - Greece upset the rule book themselves as they beat hosts Portugal in the 2004 final, whilst 1992 winners Denmark were only called upon to compete in that summer's tournament following Yugoslavia's disqualification.
Pardew admitted that he saw some similarities between Leicester's title winning side and the Danish vintage of 1992 saying, "Leicester let you have the ball and then - bang - hit you on the counter with pace. Denmark played similarly when they won this tournament in 1992 but I don't see that happening this time".
Most bookmakers suggest that the teams with the least chance of winning this summer's show-piece event are Hungary, Albania and Northern Ireland - with the latter given odds of 500-1 by Skybet, but Pardew reckons there are really just one or two sides in contention to beat Didier Deschamps' team.
"My dark horses are Croatia. I don't see anyone else I fancy. Portugal have been mentioned to me and, of course, they have the Ronaldo factor and athletic defenders, but they are not at their best. England have a better team than them".
"But the outstanding team for me are France. They are the team to beat".