City’s 2020/21 Fixtures: Reaction From Rodgers & Three Foxes Stars

- Brendan Rodgers, Wes Morgan, James Maddison and Marc Albrighton react to Leicester City’s 2020/21 Premier League fixtures
- Rodgers says the upcoming campaign is ‘another step on our journey together’
- Morgan is looking forward to competing in another Midlands derby following West Bromwich Albion’s promotion last term
- City open their campaign with a trip to the Hawthorns on Saturday 12 September

The Northern Irishman’s second full season as manager will see his Foxes head to the Hawthorns on Saturday 12 September to face Premier League newcomers West Brom.

Led by former Croatia manager Slaven Bilić, the Baggies, according to Rodgers, will be buoyed by their 2019/20 Championship exploits.

“The new season is already very close and now we’ve got our fixtures, we can look ahead to what we hope will be another exciting campaign for this Football Club and another step on our journey together.

“We begin the new season away to West Bromwich Albion, which I think will be a really good test for us, as they’re a team full of quality and with the momentum of promotion behind them.

“For us, I’m really pleased with the way the team have developed over the last 18 months, and now we need to show the ambition to continue that progress.

“We approach the new season with renewed desire and determination to continue our progression as a Club. We also have European football to look forward to and I know the players are itching to get back out on the pitch to show what they’re capable of and give the Blue Army something to shout about.”

Skipper Morgan, who this summer signed a new deal with the Football Club until June 2021, is set to embark upon his ninth full season for the Foxes, and is thrilled to be part of a side that will be competing in Europe alongside their Premier League campaign.

Morgan said: “Fixture release day is a big day in the football calendar and is one myself and the lads look forward to every year. No matter how long you’ve been playing for, finding out who you’re going to face on the opening day of the season really gets you psyched up for the new campaign and gives you something to prepare for.

“I’m thrilled to have been asked to stay on at this amazing Club for another year, as I’m really enjoying watching this group of lads grow and develop, and still feel I can contribute to the team both on and off the pitch.

“We’ve another local Midlands derby to look forward to now West Brom have been promoted and to have that on the opening day is a fantastic way to start the season. It’ll be a difficult game at The Hawthorns and I’m sure they will be motivated to get their fixtures off to a positive start, but I know we’ve a strong determination to build on last year’s success ourselves.

“We’re stronger for the experiences of the last year and the Club is undoubtedly heading in the right direction – we achieved our second highest finish in the Premier League last season and we have European football to look forward to once again.

“It won’t be the same without the Blue Army cheering us on from the stands, but we sense your support from home, and hopefully in the not too distant future, we’ll be able to feel that support from the stands too.”

England international midfielder James Maddison, meanwhile, emphasised City’s desire to begin 2020/21 on the front foot when they head to a ground that has yielded productive results in recent seasons.

“Fixture release day is one of the highlights of the season for me,” the No.10 said. “It gives the whole squad a real buzz and you can feel the excitement ahead of the first game.

“We’re in for another really exciting year as a club, especially with European football coming back to King Power Stadium, so we’re all keen to build on our achievements last season and give our supporters plenty to cheer about in 2020/21.

“Obviously things have been a bit different over the past few months with fans not being allowed to attend games, and even though it’ll remain that way for the start, we still know they’re right behind us every game, cheering us on from home and sending us good luck messages on social media.

“We’ll need their fantastic support again this season, especially on the opening day when we play West Brom. They’ve just been promoted and will have that momentum with them, so it should make for a good game and I know the lads are determined to get off to a positive start and keep improving.”

For Marc Albrighton, who has featured in all four of the Club’s most recent victories at the Hawthorns, the emphasis will be on City displaying a determination to build on last season’s fifth-placed Premier League finish.

Albrighton said: “It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been involved in football; fixture release day still gives the same excitement for fans and players every season, and it’s no different for me.

“We know we’re a strong team in this league and our performances over recent seasons have shown that, so we’ll be going into the new campaign with lots of optimism ahead of another big year for the Club.

“The squad has a great balance of youth and experience, and we’re all looking forward to the challenges that the 2020/21 season will bring. We’ll be playing a lot of games, but we’ll be prepared and ready for what we hope will be another successful year.

“The opening fixture against West Brom will be a good first test for us as they’re a team who stood out in a really competitive Championship last season and who will be out to make their mark this year. For us, we’ve got a great side and we want to show how determined we are to keep improving by building on the success of last season.”