Football news - Brendan Rodgers: Leicester City missing out on Champions League is 'hugely disappointing'
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 23/05/2021 at 21:38 GMT
After seeing his Leicester City side just miss out on Champions League football for a second successive season, manager Brendan Rodgers admitted the failure was 'hugely disappointing' though he wanted his players to come back refreshed for a new season after a summer break to recover from their busy schedule.
'It hurts' - Rodgers ' bitterly disappointed' at missing out on Champions League
Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers said his side’s fifth-placed finish in the Premier League was ‘hugely disappointing.’
It is the second consecutive season in which Leicester City have appeared on course for a Champions League spot only to fall away late in the campaign. A 4-2 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday meant that Chelsea and Liverpool were able to secure fourth and third respectively on the last day of the season.
Speaking to the BBC after the match, Rodgers said: "It's hugely disappointing for us. We fought so hard all season. I always said you’re judged after 38 games and unfortunately we couldn’t quite make it.
"I have nothing but pride and admiration for the players. They've constantly had things go against them with injuries. If you look at the importance of the players out today, we were able to take it down to the last game and the last 15 minutes.
"The biggest factor [in losing Wesley Fofana] is we lose that extra height and presence in set-piece moments. Usually we have Jonny [Evans] and Wesley, good presence and we conceded from two set-pieces.”
Despite the anticlimactic atmosphere, Rodgers was full of praise for his players, fans and the club owners.
"I said to the players before the game that we've been playing non-stop - except for 21 days - for two years,” he explained.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/05/21/3137031-64296348-2560-1440.jpg)
Raiola offers Donnarumma to ‘good friend’ for free – Euro Papers
“When we started working together we were mid-table and just over two years later we’re challenging the elite and won the FA Cup for the first time in our history and we’re on the right path without the resources [of other teams].
"I have nothing but pride. The ownership have given me amazing support. The players have given me their heart and souls every day. I’m so disappointed for them we couldn't get over the line.
"The fans pushed us through in the FA Cup final. It's brilliant to have them back in again and sorry we couldn’t get over the line. We’ll prepare even harder for next season.
"I’ve always said [the other scores are] not relevant. You have to look after your own score and unfortunately we couldn't.
"We need a period to go away and recover and relax a little bit. Premier League management is intense. We have work to do to improve the squad and come back early July motivated."
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement