‘We Feel It Every Game’ - Pereira & Howard Preview Filbert Way Double-Header

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‘We Feel It Every Game’ - Pereira & Howard Preview Filbert Way Double-Header

City stars Ricardo Pereira and Sophie Howard detailed what it means to be able to represent the Club during a feature-length interview this week.

2023-10-06T19:52:00.000Z

by Matthew Temple

Published

06 Oct, 2023

‘We Feel It Every Game’ - Pereira & Howard Preview Filbert Way Double-Header

City stars Ricardo Pereira and Sophie Howard detailed what it means to be able to represent the Club during a feature-length interview this week.

Matthew Temple

2023-10-06T19:52:00.000Z

‘We Feel It Every Game’ - Pereira & Howard Preview Filbert Way Double-Header

City stars Ricardo Pereira and Sophie Howard detailed what it means to be able to represent the Club during a feature-length interview this week.

Matthew Temple

2023-10-06T19:52:00.000Z

‘We Feel It Every Game’ - Pereira & Howard Preview Filbert Way Double-Header

City stars Ricardo Pereira and Sophie Howard detailed what it means to be able to represent the Club during a feature-length interview this week.

Matthew Temple

2023-10-06T19:52:00.000Z

‘We Feel It Every Game’ - Pereira & Howard Preview Filbert Way Double-Header

City stars Ricardo Pereira and Sophie Howard detailed what it means to be able to represent the Club during a feature-length interview this week.

Matthew Temple

2023-10-06T19:52:00.000Z

- Leicester City face Stoke City in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday- LCFC Women take on Everton this Sunday in the Barclays Women’s Super League- Tickets for City’s WSL clash on Filbert Way can be found **HERE**- Sophie Howard and Ricardo Pereira shared their thoughts ahead of the fixtures

Filbert Way plays hosts to two big fixtures this weekend, first of all when Leicester take on Stoke City as their Sky Bet Championship campaign continues on Saturday, before LCFC Women host Everton for the first time this Barclays Women’s Super League season on Sunday - ticketing information can be found HERE.

Prior to the double-header, the duo gave insight into the emotions behind a matchday at King Power Stadium, ahead of stepping back out onto the pitch in front of the Blue Army once more.

“Football is more of a mental game,” Howard stated. “So the time in the changing room before is about getting ready for the game ahead. It’s about reminding ourselves about who we are and what we’re doing here.

“As an individual, you want to achieve high standards but as a collective it’s also about identity and putting that into play on the pitch. I just take the time to make sure I’m ready, because the butterflies and sweating hands means the same thing, whether you’re nervous or excited.

“Once I get in the tunnel, it’s a routine. You line up, walk out, get in a huddle and then the whistle goes and you’re in the game. You forget about everything else. When you hear the crowd, that gets you going as well. Because you know they’re ready to fight with us.”

Portuguese defender Pereira echoed Howard’s thoughts, explaining how the time in the dressing room is for mental preparation, rather than tactical instructions, which are covered during training.

“I would say the tactics are more during the week,” the 29-year-old stated. “For us, it’s more about reminders and mental things to get ready and start on the front foot. The manager tries to connect everyone to be on the same page, which helps us out on the pitch.

“I wouldn’t say players get nervous in the changing room, but maybe a bit anxious. When I was younger, I would be more nervous but for me being anxious means I’m ready. I like to be alert and ready for the game. Once the game is started, that all goes away because you are just so focused on the match ahead.”

The main advantage of playing at home, is the overwhelming support from the Foxes faithful, which Pereira believes plays a vital part in every match and aids to the team’s confidence in getting a positive result.

Not only growing the confidence in the minds of the Leicester players, the former Porto man believes that the fans’ voice can break the strength in the opposition’s game, opening chances that might not have otherwise presented itself.

“The fans add that extra boost,” the full-back explained. “Sometimes when the game isn’t going the way you want, they give you that little extra that can switch things on and turn things in your favour. Even for the opponent, it makes them feel like they need to be switched on and be careful.

“In football, anything can happen. We know we have scored a lot of late goals recently which has turned results but that happens. We are learning a new style of play and working under a new manager. It can be easier for us than the fans because we train every day, but the important thing is that we get there together and what we work on makes us successful.”

Howard continued the conversation: “There was a long spell of difficult times last season for us, but towards the end we could start giving back to the fans, and we owed them a lot for showing up every week. For them to stick with us meant a lot and showed what we can achieve together.

“Losses are part of football, but it’s about how you react. The mindset of losing is also part of the journey. Every time you play you want to go out to win, not to not lose. That’s what we try and bring onto the pitch.”

Leicester are currently ten games into their Championship campaign, and after an impressive start, find themselves at the summit with nine wins from their opening 10 games, most recently beating high-flying Preston North End on Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, Willie Kirk's side have only played once this term, winning on the road against Bristol City in a 4-2 scoreline that sees them lead the WSL on goal difference before this weekend's meeting with Everton.

Although they have only just started, the Scotland international talked about how important it is to celebrate the wins to keep the confidence during the tough times, which are inevitable in football.

“We’ve only played the first game of the season, but we won, and that first win puts you in a good position for the coming games,” Howard expressed. “It took us a long time to get our first points last season, so to have already achieved that away from home is amazing. Now we have another opportunity to get more points and that’s what we’re trying to do.

“The fans want to see wins, so if we can provide more attractive football and positive performances then we can give something back to them and then hopefully the crowds can grow game by game.

“We can’t take it for granted that we can play our games at King Power Stadium; we’re so privileged to be able to do that. It makes us extra excited every Sunday to be able to turn up here and represent the Club.”

The men’s side have undergone a change at the helm this season and Pereira admits that Enzo Maresca’s new brand of football has taken some time to get used to, but assured the fans that the best is yet to come as he targets a positive season with Leicester.

“It’s always good to start the season well, to build confidence and points,” he communicated. “I hope that we keep going like this. I know it means a lot to the fans also – they choose to spend their weekends supporting us and traveling, sometimes a long way from home, so to get a win can make everyone’s weekend.

“When you win compared to when you lose, the mood is completely different. It’s the same for fans as it is to us players. When we win, we're happy and when we lose, we’re sad. We play for everyone and we want to achieve together.

“We have to enjoy the fact that we’re doing so well and are challenging at the top of the table. Especially after last season, these good moments need to be celebrated but we must also remain focused knowing that there is a job to do.”

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