Matchday With The Manager - Why The Right Mentality Is Key

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Matchday With The Manager - Why The Right Mentality Is Key

Brendan Rodgers is eager for Leicester City's players to embrace the occasion that awaits at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening.

2022-05-05T06:00:00.000Z

by Sam Jones

Published

05 May, 2022

Matchday With The Manager - Why The Right Mentality Is Key

Brendan Rodgers is eager for Leicester City's players to embrace the occasion that awaits at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening.

Sam Jones

2022-05-05T06:00:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager - Why The Right Mentality Is Key

Brendan Rodgers is eager for Leicester City's players to embrace the occasion that awaits at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening.

Sam Jones

2022-05-05T06:00:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager - Why The Right Mentality Is Key

Brendan Rodgers is eager for Leicester City's players to embrace the occasion that awaits at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening.

Sam Jones

2022-05-05T06:00:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager - Why The Right Mentality Is Key

Brendan Rodgers is eager for Leicester City's players to embrace the occasion that awaits at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening.

Sam Jones

2022-05-05T06:00:00.000Z

It's a third semi-final in as many seasons for the Foxes, as they bid to reach their maiden European final. Standing in their way is a Roma side managed by José Mourinho and aiming to win their first trophy in 15 years.

All to play for following a 1-1 draw at Leicester City Stadium a week ago, the second leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League last-four tie, an 8pm BST kick-off, will decide who plays Marseille or Feyenoord in the showpiece event in Tirana.

Speaking in Wednesday morning pre-match press conference at LCFC Training Ground, City's manager believes past experiences in the latter stages of other competitions, together with the correct mindset, can assist in enabling his team to play to their potential and create more history.

Rodgers commented to the media: "We're playing now in a one-off game. I know we have been able to do a good job against difficult teams and that has really helped us.

"Whenever semi-finals come, there's always that tension around it. The idea is to keep the players relaxed, but focused on the game. That's also what we have been trying to create here - a winning mentality.

"For some players they have to adapt to that, but that takes time. These are experiences that we want the players to learn from. It's nice hearing the players talk about it because it's something they are hungry for and we're all hungry to succeed.

"Putting ourselves in positions year in year out in order to be challenging, it's a great feeling. This is another chapter, our main objective is to keep the story of this club going. Like we did in the FA Cup, now can we pick up our first pic of silverware in Europe? Let’s get to the final and then we'll have that opportunity.

"It’s a great credit to the players that they have been able to keep going. Unfortunately for us, the ability to challenge at the top end of the Premier League table was hampered, but the players have kept the spirit and have kept fighting.

"That’s the desire we’re carrying as we look to get to the final. If we can do that, it will be a great effort by them all."

A raucous atmosphere is expected in the Italian capital, though City are well versed in dealing with hostile environments during this European campaign. Rodgers' men faced away trips in the second legs of all three of their previous knockout rounds.

Particularly in Rennes and Eindhoven, rather than getting caught up in the emotion of the game, the Foxes showed their character and quality to come from behind and reach the semi-finals of the inaugural tournament.

“We need the same character that we have shown to get to this stage," the 49-year-old continued. "We’ve got experience going into the second leg. Away at Rennes and PSV were difficult games, two really good sides and we were able to do that. It’s a similar mentality and a similar thought process.

“Going into away legs, you know you have to deal with that pressure and home support, but at the same time you can use that to your advantage. We expect a fantastic atmosphere. We've had that in this competition, we have played in great atmospheres.

"And of course we play in big atmospheres in the Premier League so I don't think it will be anything too much new. We are looking forward to going to play in the stadium, experiencing that and then having composure and that agility to get the job done.

"You have to go and enjoy it. This is a great challenge for us. We knew we were going into tough environments with the crowd and against good teams. For me, this is another step forward for us mentally in the maturation of the team. It’s a very young team playing at this level and we will gain from the experiences.

"We’ve shown that we can complete the task and you have to embrace that, it’s why you play. You want to go into a great stadium, which will be full with most of the supporters against us, but that's okay.

"We have won games before in these circumstances, we will go out there with no fear, looking to win the game, and that's how our mindset will be.”

Assessing what he learnt from the first leg on Filbert Way, Rodgers anticipates that the hosts will deploy a similar stratagem to the one executed in Leicester seven days earlier, when Roberto Mancini's own goal levelled the scores following Lorenzo Pellegrini's opener for the Giallorossi.

The Northern Irishman explained: “I think of course the crowd may want them to go forward a little bit more. But the system is based on being solid. It's a back five. The front two may press a little more and come up the pitch, but I would suspect it may well be a similar type of game.

"Of course they will have their own support and may be buoyed that little bit more to attack. I think the threat from Roma is on the counter attack and set plays, so that’s something that we have to be concentrated on.

"Now we want to take this next step forward mentally and reach a first European final. If we play like we did in the first leg, then we've got a great chance. That's our idea coming into the game."

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