Rodgers: Use This To Increase Our Mentality
- Brendan Rodgers hopes Leicester City's late heartbreak at Aston Villa can spur them on to success
- The Foxes were beaten 2-1 in the second leg of their Carabao Cup Semi-Final tie, 3-2 on aggregate
- Rodgers says the nature of the defeat can 'increase the mentality' of his team over the coming weeks
- Leicester welcome Chelsea to King Power Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday (12:30pm GMT kick-off)
After Kelechi Iheanacho had levelled Matt Targett's opener at Villa Park, Mahmoud Trezeguet pounced in added time to win it for Dean Smith's hosts in dramatic fashion in Birmingham.
Rodgers admitted to being 'hugely disappointed' by the result, but challenged his players to use that last-gasp heartbreak in a positive fashion as Leicester look to enjoy a successful end to the campaign.
"I’m proud of the team, coming into a game like this, of this pressure, for playing with that composure," he told LCFC TV. "We created enough opportunities to win the tie over both legs, but it wasn’t to be.
"It looked like the momentum was with us. Unfortunately just right at the end, we just switched off on our cross, and the guy finishes it at the back post so it's hugely disappointing."
"The scoreboard tells us that they go through, so congratulations to Aston Villa and good luck to them in the final."
With City set to welcome Chelsea to King Power Stadium in a meeting of third and fourth in the Premier League standings, Rodgers is looking for a swift response.
"The disappointment tonight will increase the mentality of the team, the want to succeed," the Northern Irishman continued, speaking at full-time at Villa Park.
"When you’re within touching distance of a final, then it’s something that will drive you on. The players will be disappointed tonight, it’ll hurt in the morning, but they’ll recover.
"Then we’ve got a fantastic game at the weekend. They’ll have a good break, come back, and then get ready for the final part of the season."