Barradell Really Excited For PL Cup Challenge
- Leicester City Under-18s welcome Manchester City in the U18 Premier League Cup Semi-Final
- The cup clash at LCFC Training will kick off at 3pm GMT on Saturday
- Coach Adam Barradell spoke ahead of an important fixture in the season
- A win would see the Foxes face either Manchester United or Crystal Palace in the final
This weekend presents an opportunity for City’s youngsters, as they welcome Man City to LCFC Training Ground on Saturday afternoon for a cup semi-final.
Having beaten Chelsea 2-1 in the quarter-final, just one game stands between them and a shot at silverware, and the coach is looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead.
“I’m really excited for the game,” Barradell told LCFC.com in an interview. “Semi-finals are always a great event. We’ve been involved in a few over the last few years and it’s a great experience for staff and players.
“It’s a game where we really want to get through, but we know Man City will be a tough challenge but nonetheless we’re looking forward to it, and we’re going in with confidence having beat Chelsea in the last round.
“We’re developing the boys to go into a performance environment, so to have these games where we want to get through is important. The performance might not be there on the day but if we get through, we’ll learn from it.
“It’s about performing in a pressured game. If we’ve prepared the team well for that, then hopefully they can give a good account of themselves.”
Leicester were held to a 2-2 draw against Reading last time out in the U18 Premier League South, and while aiming to keep a similar high standard, Barradell explained how they look to adapt their preparation in order to meet the occasion.
“We’ll prepare for it like we would an FA Youth Cup game,” he continued. “We’ll analyse Man City a bit deeper than we would a normal league opponent and concentrate on a few areas of the pitch in more detail such as set-pieces.
“It will be less around our individuals and game element, and more about the performance. We’ve had a good week of training, following a disappointing result against Reading, but the boys have come in this week with a new focus and energy.”
After seeing an abundance of Academy players break through to the First Team, most recently in the Foxes’ 1-0 win over Bournemouth in the Emirates FA Cup, the coach understands the importance of these high-pressured environments on the development of the individuals.
Barradell added: “We know how much this competition means, and it would mean a lot for the Under-18s to get through to the final. We’ve got the Under-21s doing well at the moment, and they’re in an important cup game as well.
“For the Academy, reaching the latter stages of cup competitions is excellent because the more experience and pressure games that the boys compete in, the better the development will be as we look to produce players for the First Team.
“With the amount of boys going through to the First Team, and performing, it shows the hard work that is being produced in the Academy and along the pathway at the moment."