Rodgers: We'll Pick A Strong Side To Get A Result
- Leicester City host AEK Athens in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday (8pm kick-off)
- Brendan Rodgers has discussed the challenge of keeping his squad fresh during a busy fixture schedule
- The City manager also provided an update on the fitness of Çağlar Söyüncü and Timothy Castagne
- Live coverage of Thursday's game is available, for free, from 6:30pm on Thursday evening
The Greek outfit are the visitors on Thursday (8pm kick-off) with the Foxes knowing a win – or simply matching SC Braga’s result – will confirm their place at the summit of Group G.
Speaking ahead of that clash, Rodgers has elaborated on the challenges associated with naming matchday squads during a season which has already included 17 competitive outings in three months.
“We will do what we’ve done throughout the competition,” the Northern Irishman confirmed on Wednesday afternoon. “I’ll always pick a team I believe can win the game.
“We were able to look at that in our last game (vs. Zorya Luhansk), knowing that whatever happened, we could win the group in this last game. We’ll pick a group accordingly.
“The squad have been first-class and we’ll pick a team, a strong team, to look to get the result.”
Rodgers also pointed to the hectic nature of the schedule which awaits the Foxes, with another six fixtures to be contested before the New Year.
“It’s no different, in relation to what we’ve done all season,” added. “We’ve had to manage the group because of the injuries we’ve had and the competitions we’ve been in.
“We’ve always tried to pick a side which we felt was the strongest side we could pick to win the game. That’s allowed us to qualify for the Round of 32, but we want to finish in first place.
“The idea is the still the same. We have a game on Sunday, midweek, the following Sunday, and then all the games come thick and fast (over the Christmas period).
“Winning the game, tactics, player welfare, all of that comes into your thinking when you’re picking a team.”
Elsewhere, the 47-year-old provided an update on the fitness of Çağlar Söyüncü (adductor) and Timothy Castagne (hamstring), with Rodgers saying they’ll be carefully monitored over the coming weeks.
On Söyüncü, he explained: “I don’t want to get locked into any time and date. It’s about how he feels. There’s a lot of great medical work going on with him, but he has to get comfort with it.
“He’s out on the field, he’s working, and he’s going through various movement patterns in order to find that comfort. Hopefully it’ll be sooner rather than later, but we don’t want to be rushed.
“With the last one, we did a lot of work, and he’s gone into the game. The scans showed up clean, but it was more about him telling us how he feels, that he’s not quite there himself.
“With the scan, everything was clear, there was nothing showing, so we just need to make sure he’s right and that will be paced by him and the medical team.”
Castagne, meanwhile, is now training with the squad, Rodgers revealed: “He’s joining in with the group now. He’s at that final stage of his rehabilitation.
“Again, we’re just trying to make sure he that comes through all the necessary tests and measures.
“He’s doing very, very well and hopefully it’ll be sooner rather than later that he’s back, but he won’t be involved for tomorrow.”
All times GMT.