Captain & Manager Speak Prior To Slavutych Arena Training Session
Leicester City’s fifth 2020/21 UEFA Europa League fixture could see them top Group G depending on results elsewhere, with a game in hand, which takes place next week at Leicester City Stadium against AEK Athens.
Zaporizhzhia, the host city for the Foxes’ encounter with Zorya Luhansk, is located in south-east Ukraine, boasts a population of over double that of Leicester, and is renowned for its industrial roots.
Positioned next to the Dnipro – a river that winds through Russia, Belarus and Ukraine and flows into the Black Sea – is the 12,000-seater Slavutych Arena, where the City squad were welcomed for media duties and their final pre-match training session ahead of Thursday’s game.
First on the top table was centre-back Morgan, who, approaching nine years at the Football Club, is enjoying his second foray into Europe having played an influential role in the Club's UEFA Champions League campaign in 2016/17.
The 2016 Premier League champion said: “It’s an important game for us. In our previous game, we secured qualification. This game, we want to continue the good work we’ve done so far. We’ve got an opportunity to rest and maybe change some players, which we’ll do. It’s a good chance for players that haven’t had much game time to go out and perform and play."
Next to be greeted by local and national journalists was Rodgers, who was quizzed about the challenge Leicester City will face against Zorya Luhansk, the climate in Zaporizhzhia and the return of some key players from injury.
“The weather will be okay,” the Northern Irishman said. "We don’t live in a tropical climate back in the UK, so we’re used to the cold throughout the winter as well. It’s a little bit colder here at the moment, but the players will be fine."
Shortly after, once the press conference had concluded, City took to the pitch at Slavutych Arena, where in 24 hours’ time they are set to come up against Viktor Skrypnyk’s outfit for what could be an entertaining Group G showdown between two teams that have a great deal at stake.
Later on, in the evening, while there will be no City supporters in attendance on Thursday night, a group of Season Ticket Holders were invited to join international stars Ricardo Pereira and Wilfred Ndidi over video call from the team hotel in Zaporizhzhia.
The Leicester players, alongside legends Matt Elliott and Gerry Taggart, answered questions ranging from their return to action, to the absence of the Blue Army at games.
"I’m happy to be back," Portugal full-back Ricardo told supporters. "It’s been a long time coming, but I’m happy to be here. It’s the same for Wilf, too!"
The Blue Army can listen to live and free coverage of the Foxes’ final away match in Group G from 4:25pm on Thursday, ahead of the 5:55pm kick-off in Ukraine, on LCFC Radio’s Matchday Live.
All times GMT.