Castagne Enjoying The Challenge

First Team
30 Jan 2021
3 Minutes
Timothy Castagne believes the collective team spirit at Leicester City is helping to push the Foxes on further as they look to continue their excellent Premier League form.

- Timothy Castagne speaks to LCFC TV about his first few months at Leicester City
- The full-back made an immediate impact after joining from Serie A side Atalanta in September
- The Belgian has recently returned to the side after injury and now hopes to kick on 
- The Foxes welcome Leeds United to King Power Stadium on Sunday (2pm kick-off)

Ahead of tackling Leeds United at King Power Stadium on Sunday (2pm kick-off), the defender has featured in 12 of Leicester's 20 league games so far this term.

A summer signing from Atalanta, Castagne believes the environment within the squad has allowed him to quickly settle into life in England, both on and off the pitch.

The Belgian international has also shown his versatility, playing on both sides of the back four as well as in a wing-back position during the first half of his maiden season with the Foxes.

"It's always easier to enjoy when you play with a team like this and at this level," Castagne told LCFC TV ahead of the weekend fixture. "As a group, if you win, you're happy so right now I'm pretty happy.

Of course it makes it easier if your team plays well, it's easier for you to play well. Also, the group is very good, we are very tight, everybody is friends with everybody so it's nice and I think that also helps the performances.

Timothy Castagne LCFC TV

"It's not always easy. There's a lot of games that you just have to fight and work hard in and, when you come into the Premier League, you are not used to that.

"Sometimes it's a bit of a challenge, but I think it's part of the development. Of course, it makes it easier if your team plays well, it's easier for you to play well.

"Also, the group is very good, we are very tight, everybody is friends with everybody so it's nice and I think that also helps the performances.

"I'm pretty used to it (playing in different positions). I think it's just adapting, it's not that complicated, you just have to prepare better because obviously left and right is not the same.

"I think it's always been part of my game to adapt and change side or position."

City's midweek trip to Everton ended in a 1-1 draw, with a 67th-minute strike from Youri Tielemans getting the visitors back on level terms following James Rodríguez's opener at Goodison Park.

Castagne feels that they can take confidence from an encouraging performance against the Toffees, which, on other day, could have yielded three points from a tough away fixture.

"We had a lot of chances," the 25-year-old recalled. "They scored a great goal but, other than that, they didn't have a lot of opportunities.

"But they scored and they played well, were very tight and defensive, so the goal they scored was perfect for their game plan. It was good from us to show the mental toughness."

City's trip to face Leeds earlier in the season, on the other hand, was a goal-laden affair as Tielemans scored twice in a 4-1 victory.

Castagne, who was watching on from the sidelines that night, says Leicester have to be wary of the threats Marcelo Bielsa's side can pose, despite the convincing win recorded at Elland Road.

"We know it's going to be a tough one," he added. "We did well in the first game but it's going to be different this time.

"We just have to play this game like any other one, be ready, start from the first minute and then, if we play our game and don't let them play their game, then it could be a win for us.

"They try to play, they run a lot, they play aggressively, so I think we can use that against them, but we have to do it well because, if we don't, then they are going to be dangerous, so it's not going to be an easy one.

"We know the things that we did hurt them, so we know we can do it again. Obviously, it's never easy to replicate, but we know we have it in us.

"We have to go in like it's a final, that's actually how we have to take every game from now on, but we'll be ready."

All times GMT.