Tielemans’ 2020/21 Season In Focus
Tielemans enjoyed his most productive season for Leicester City during the 2020/21 campaign, and, like many, lifted his first piece of silverware as a Fox after winning the Emirates FA Cup.
Such is his popularity, the combative midfielder – currently away with Belgium in preparation for the 2020 UEFA European Championships – has even had a mural created in Anderlecht, where his professional career began.
Indeed, the Blue Army have witnessed first-hand his rapid development in Leicester colours, not least in 2020/21, when he notched up 51 appearances across all formats, while a further nine matches for Belgium saw him take his total match tally to a mammoth 60.
Tielemans was an ever-present for the Foxes in the Premier League, and was the only outfield player to appear in every top-flight fixture, with goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel also completing the same feat.
His first outing of the season for Leicester came in a 3-0 success at West Bromwich Albion – a game in which fellow Belgium star Timothy Castagne scored on his debut – while a second and third success of the season followed.
It was during City’s third victory that Tielemans scored his maiden goal of 2020/21 as he successfully dispatched a penalty at Etihad Stadium during a 5-2 win at eventual champions Manchester City in late September.
The following month, his European debut for the Foxes arrived on Filbert Way in the form of a 3-0 success over Zorya Luhansk, while another first followed for the No.8 in early November when he netted his first Leicester brace in a 4-1 win away to Leeds United.
He soon transformed his goalscoring exploits onto the international stage, scoring twice for Belgium against England and then Denmark later that month, as an impressive start to the new term began to gather pace.
After the final international break of 2020, then came the busy festive fixture schedule, and such was Tielemans’ importance to Brendan Rodgers’ side, he played 11 times for City in the space of just 42 days.
The final game of that run came against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, where he rounded off a neat move with a lovely sweeping finish to net his fourth Premier League goal of the season, helping his side start 2021 with three points.
Attentions soon turned to City’s first Emirates FA Cup fixture of the season, with Tielemans playing from start to finish in a 4-0 third round success at Stoke City in January.
Later that month, he completed 90 minutes in the 3-1 win at Brentford in the fourth round, and then in February, did the same in the 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, as the Club laid their foundations for a final showdown at Wembley Stadium.
While City exited the UEFA Europa League at the hands of Slavia Prague in February, their domestic cup challenge continued with a 3-1 triumph over Manchester United at King Power Stadium, with Tielemans netting an excellent solo strike before Kelechi Iheanacho’s second of the game settled the result.
That semi-final clash with Southampton saw Tielemans complete 90 minutes in a 1-0 success as City advanced to the FA Cup Final for the first time in 52 years. Before then, they had lost all four finals they had contested, but this season was different.
Leicester’s Premier League campaign eventually saw them place fifth, matching their second-highest finish in the competition, however it was in the FA Cup that they found glory – via the right boot of Tielemans.
After a goalless first half against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, Tielemans strode forward with 63 minutes on the clock and unleashed a phenomenal strike into the top corner that gave Kepa Arrizabalaga no chance.
The goal will forever be etched into Leicester City history for not only its sheer excellence, but that for the first time in their 137-year existence, they laid claim to the FA Cup. Having the Blue Army in attendance for the first time in 14 months made it even more special.
In the Premier League, he also registered four assists, made the most passes of any Leicester star (2,482), and had the greatest number of touches (3,151). His presence in the heart of midfield for the Foxes in 2020/21 has undoubtedly been a significant one.