Cifuentes: A Great Challenge

Match Centre | Saturday 18 April Sat 18 Apr

POR

–

LEI

Interviews & Features

Heritage

Photos

Cifuentes: A Great Challenge

Martí Cifuentes says we must match Millwall’s energy in Saturday’s encounter at The Den, but also bring our own qualities if we’re to leave with three points.

2025-10-25T09:00+01:00

by Sam Stevens

Published

25 Oct, 2025

Cifuentes: A Great Challenge

Martí Cifuentes says we must match Millwall’s energy in Saturday’s encounter at The Den, but also bring our own qualities if we’re to leave with three points.

Sam Stevens

2025-10-25T09:00+01:00

Cifuentes: A Great Challenge

Martí Cifuentes says we must match Millwall’s energy in Saturday’s encounter at The Den, but also bring our own qualities if we’re to leave with three points.

Sam Stevens

2025-10-25T09:00+01:00

Cifuentes: A Great Challenge

Martí Cifuentes says we must match Millwall’s energy in Saturday’s encounter at The Den, but also bring our own qualities if we’re to leave with three points.

Sam Stevens

2025-10-25T09:00+01:00

Cifuentes: A Great Challenge

Martí Cifuentes says we must match Millwall’s energy in Saturday’s encounter at The Den, but also bring our own qualities if we’re to leave with three points.

Sam Stevens

2025-10-25T09:00+01:00

We head to the capital on the back of a defeat at Hull City on Tuesday, the second of three matches in eight days, eager to get back to winning ways.

Needing points to climb the Sky Bet Championship table, the Foxes will be taking on a Lions outfit who are currently third, highlighting the challenge in store.

Speaking on Thursday, during his pre-match press conference, our Manager isolated the things we must get right to return to the East Midlands with a victory.

‘Millwall in a good trend’

Under Alex Neil’s management, Millwall have won their last three league games, propelling them up the table and Cifuentes pointed to the importance of equalling their commitment, stressing that Millwall away is always a tough fixture.

“They’re definitely in a good trend,” he told reporters in Seagrave. “If there is one game in this Championship, one team that will always demand energy and attitude, it’s going to be Millwall away.

“It’s a great challenge, a great opportunity for us after the disappointment of Tuesday to bounce back. It’s going to be a very difficult test because they’re in a good trend, they are confident on the things that they do.

“At the same time, I think it’s very clear that if we want to win the three points, we need to match them on all of the parts that make them competitive.”

‘Use our strengths’

Simply matching Millwall won’t be enough, Cifuentes says, with the Foxes needing to also bring their own unique attributes to the game in order to be dominant.

He added: “One part of it is about matching some of the parts that make them really strong, in terms of belief, in terms of hunger, in terms of this energy that they bring into every game.

“But then, especially, use our strengths. We will fail if we try to do what they do, so we need to make sure that we are dominant through our way of playing, that we improve some of the things that we know, as a team, we are trying to get better at.

“At the same time, I think in the second half (at Hull) in a very different scenario, we definitely have some things we can pick from this second half and things to learn from the first half.”

‘We ask different jobs’

The Manager also discussed the role of strikers in our tactical approach to games. While wanting to see them score goals, he was eager to highlight the variety of ways where strikers can help the team to pick up points.

“In all positions, we ask them to do different jobs and the role requires not only one thing,” the former QPR manager explained. “This is a team sport and there are different moments during the game.

“As a striker, it’s not just the fact we want them to be in this last moment to score the goal, but as well, how they can open the space for other players, how they can create chances for other players, how they can press, how they can help the team when we are in a low block, how they can help the team to counter.

“For instance, the way we can counter with Jordan [Ayew], or Julián [Carranza], or Pato (Patson Daka), it’s different with all of them.

“My job as a coach, there is a tactical part of it, where all the staff helps me in terms of training, individual drills and so on, then there is the part of management where, for a striker who has not scored for a while, obviously it will affect his confidence.

“That’s the way usually they live the game, but we need to work with that. Instead of just looking at the bad parts of this, I try to look at the opportunity to improve, to help them to become better, and how we can use them to become better as a team.”

LATEST HEADLINES

Team News: Portsmouth vs. Leicester City Here’s how the Foxes line up for this afternoon’s clash with Portsmouth (12:30pm BST kick-off).

1 Hour 19 Mins Ago

'We Have To Be Determined' – Rowett On Portsmouth Battle A clinical edge is required from his Leicester City side during this weekend’s crucial encounter with Portsmouth, according to Gary Rowett.

3 Hours 34 Mins Ago

Vote Now: LCFC End Of Season Awards Our supporters can now vote in a number of categories for our annual Leicester City End of Season Awards.

20 Hours 4 Mins Ago

Abdul Fatawu Nominated For EFL Goal Of The Season Abdul Fatawu’s stunning 65-yard strike in our 3-1 win over Ipswich Town in December has been shortlisted for EFL Goal of the Season.

20 Hours 34 Mins Ago