Rodgers: Several Players Unavailable For Napoli Test

- Brendan Rodgers has provided a fitness update in Naples on Wednesday
- Leicester City face Napoli in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday (5:45pm kick-off)
- Seven players have not travelled to Italy through illness
- The Club has taken every precaution with the safety of staff and players paramount, says Rodgers
- Youri Tielemans and Ryan Bertrand are available for selection at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

While some are COVID-19-related, others have stayed in the United Kingdom as a precaution with illness as City prepare to tackle the Naples-club at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Group C. Speaking in Italy, Rodgers provided an update on the situation ahead of an open training session.

Elsewhere, Youri Tielemans and Ryan Bertrand, two absentees over recent weeks, are among the squad who landed in the country earlier on Wednesday. The Foxes manager revealed both will be in contention to be selected for the visitors in the 5:45pm kick-off on Thursday. 

"We’ve had a number of people, staff and players, who haven’t travelled," he explained. "We've had some positive [COVID-19] cases, some are generally not well, so we haven't taken the risk.

"Certainly, Youri [Tielemans] has travelled. He’s trained very well and he will be available. Ryan Bertrand, who’s been out for a week or so, has travelled as well. They're both available for the game.

"We will have seven unavailable. [Who they are is] something you’ll see in time. You’ll see in the training tonight the ones who haven’t travelled. It’s been [over the] last few days really. In general, you’re starting to see a few more cases and, for us, it’s always about the health of our players.

"Travelling to a foreign country, we have to respect travelling into Italy. We still have a strong squad here, but unfortunately it's not a fully fit squad."

Although several players will miss out on Thursday's crucial European outing, Rodgers was keen to discuss the players who are available to him, while also outlining how the Club have taken responsible measures in response to the illnesses which have been reported this week.

"The focus is on the players who are here and on the next game, which is a big game for us, and we’ll have to see what develops over the coming days," Rodgers continued. "It won't destabilise us [in one specific position], we just won't have the availability of players we want.

"The players we can play in the positions we want are able to do that. We've done multiple tests. We tested again this morning at the hotel just before we boarded our flight.

"We've taken every single measure, in terms of arriving here in the safest possible way to our host country, we have to respect the laws and health issues here. We've taken every measure to make sure everyone was tested.

"The players who were unwell who we could've have maybe given 24 hours to feel better, we couldn't take any risk with those, so we've kept them at home along with the other guys who were deemed positive."