Matchday With The Manager: History In Europe & Providing An Aspirational Environment

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Matchday With The Manager: History In Europe & Providing An Aspirational Environment

Writing a new chapter in Leicester City's history is more of a priority for Brendan Rodgers than any personal aspirations in European football, the Foxes manager told the media on Wednesday.

2021-02-25T07:00:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager: History In Europe & Providing An Aspirational Environment

Writing a new chapter in Leicester City's history is more of a priority for Brendan Rodgers than any personal aspirations in European football, the Foxes manager told the media on Wednesday.

2021-02-25T07:00:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager: History In Europe & Providing An Aspirational Environment

Writing a new chapter in Leicester City's history is more of a priority for Brendan Rodgers than any personal aspirations in European football, the Foxes manager told the media on Wednesday.

2021-02-25T07:00:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager: History In Europe & Providing An Aspirational Environment

Writing a new chapter in Leicester City's history is more of a priority for Brendan Rodgers than any personal aspirations in European football, the Foxes manager told the media on Wednesday.

2021-02-25T07:00:00.000Z

Matchday With The Manager: History In Europe & Providing An Aspirational Environment

Writing a new chapter in Leicester City's history is more of a priority for Brendan Rodgers than any personal aspirations in European football, the Foxes manager told the media on Wednesday.

2021-02-25T07:00:00.000Z

City resume their UEFA Europa League campaign with the second leg of their Round of 32 tie against Czech First League leaders Slavia Prague on Filbert Way on Thursday evening (8pm GMT kick-off).

While the Foxes were unable to score a precious away goal at Sinobo Stadium last time out, Rodgers' side were able to return from Prague with a clean sheet, which means the tie is evenly poised at the half-way stage.

Leicester will face a side who are yet to suffer a defeat in their domestic campaign and currently hold an eight-point advantage over their city rivals, Sparta Prague, after 20 matches in the Czech First League.

For Rodgers, who has already seen the qualities of Jindřich Trpišovský's men firsthand, the second leg clash is another opportunity to add to the Foxes' growing pedigree in European competition.

"From a personal perspective, my focus is always for the Club and the ambitions of what we want to do as a football club," the Northern Irishman said inside the King Power Centre at LCFC Training Ground.

"I work in the most competitive league in the world where there are challenges every week and the uniqueness of these challenges (in European football) are you don’t see the opponent so much.

"Of course, you want to help the Club’s story in European football. From a personal perspective, I don’t really think on it [in another way]."

Rodgers was speaking after Youri Tielemans on UEFA media duties on Wednesday and the Belgium international was glowing in his description of the Club's ambitions to achieve success.

The Foxes manager was delighted to hear his No.8 speak so positively about Leicester's aspirations and provided an insight into how the Club seeks to provide an environment to support its players.

"For any player, the level of ambition and environment is key, especially for somebody like Youri, who’s a top player even though he’s so young," he continued.

"For any player, they want to know they’re in a place to learn and develop. They can see how the Club has been developing, in terms of the new facility, and of course, the team. It’s great to hear that from any player, but in particular, a player like Youri, who’s a big talent."

Leicester, though, will be without midfielder James Maddison on Thursday as the England midfielder receives treatment on an issue sustained in Sunday's 2-1 Premier League victory at Aston Villa.

However, Rodgers is confident that his side are equipped to adapt to the absence of a player in fine form for the Foxes, who has netted 11 goals in all competitions so far in 2020/21.

"When you have quality players that are out, it’s obviously a shame, but I’ve always said, if they’re not available, I can’t over think it," the 48-year-old added.

"We rely on our squad. We have some very good players that will come in and I’m confident with the squad and the players we do have available that we can get the job done.

"The tactical flexibility of the team has allowed us to arrive into games with different systems while maintaining the principles of our game.

"They deserve a high amount of credit up until this point. Obviously, there’s such a huge amount of time to go, but we’re being competitive, playing some great football and defending well, so they’ve shown a real strong mentality.

"Everything’s calm, everything is focused, and we still have a long way to go in the season."

Live coverage of Thursday's UEFA Europa League tie can be found, for free, on LCFC Radio from 6:30pm GMT.

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