- Leicester City are into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League
- Manager Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for the resilience of his players in France
- He also discussed Wesley Fofana's return from injury and his first-ever City goal
Wesley Fofana's first goal for the Club, on his return from an absence which spanned back to last August, proved crucial for Leicester despite Benjamin Bourigeaud and Flavien Tait strikes handing the hosts a 2-1 win on the night at Roazhon Park on Thursday.
City had to dig deep, especially in the latter moments, to quell waves of pressure and Rodgers was thrilled with the determination on show in Brittany.
"I'm delighted for the players," he told LCFC TV at full-time. "I think to beat Rennes over two legs and qualify, we’ve had to work so hard, so it’s a great achievement for the players. We had to really dig in tonight and show a lot of resilience and mentality. Obviously, we were 2-0 up after the first leg.
"We knew they were going to come and they were very good in the first half. We had to hang in there, dig deep, and we did that throughout the game.
"That’s the challenge of coming and playing here, especially in knockout competitions. The atmosphere was fantastic. Our supporters were great, they really boosted the team and helped the team. That’s what you’ve got to deal with and that’s what the challenges are, especially as you develop as a player.
"It was a great atmosphere. We were nowhere near our level with the ball. I was hugely disappointed with our ability to take the ball and pass the ball. We were too static, not good enough in possession, but when you’re like that, you’ve got to show a resilience and a mentality and we did that.
"That’s what got us through."
Fofana's return from a fractured fibula was already a source of happiness for the Foxes faithful before his maiden goal for the Club. It would become the goal which separated the two sides in a pulsating tie.
"For a young player that’s coming back from a really bad injury, he’s amazing," Rodgers added. "You can see his leap, the timing, everything was incredible. We’ve just got to manage him now, see how he is over the next few days, but it’s a big bonus to have him back.
"The performance, in terms of defensive mentality and spirit and being a team, that’s all there, but without the ball, you have to be much better than that. The passing wasn’t good enough, winning it back, giving it away, it was nowhere near the level I would expect.
"We would have to be much, much better with the ball."
The Blue Army and Leicester's players celebrated together at full-time and, while pleased to see his squad toast the success with the fans, Rodgers is already looking to their next challenge.
"I’m obviously delighted for the players," the 49-year-old continued. "We’re through, which was our aim over the two legs, and everyone knew how good a team Rennes were. You can see how they’re doing domestically in their league, so we knew it was going to be a challenge for us this evening.
"To get through is a huge credit to the players. They’re happy but we’re not carried away. We’ll see who we get tomorrow in the draw and then we can look forward to it."