- Leicester City have been promoted back to the Premier League
- The Club’s return to the top flight was confirmed on Friday, three days after a 5-0 win over Southampton
- Manager Enzo Maresca has paid tribute to the ‘hard work of everyone associated’ with the Foxes
- The Italian says all focus is now on winning the Sky Bet Championship title
The Foxes have bounced back at the first attempt after Tuesday’s 5-0 demolition of Southampton at King Power Stadium was followed by a 4-0 defeat for Leeds United at Queens Park Rangers on Friday – confirming City’s place in the division’s top two.
Maresca’s men have already amassed Leicester’s third best-ever points tally (94) with two games still to play and embarked on a Club record-equalling winning league run.
The Italian, appointed last June, has introduced a new playing style at King Power Stadium this term, yielding 30 wins and a goal difference of +47. Now they will battle it out with Ipswich Town to lift an eighth second-tier title before the end of the season.
“I feel so proud to see the hard work of everybody associated with Leicester City throughout the entire season rewarded with our promotion to the Premier League,” Maresca said. “This achievement is one for us all to share and one that I know means so much to the owners, to the players and to our supporters.
“What we have accomplished was not easy. There are many good teams in a very competitive league, but the work we’ve done together with our players to turn our idea of how to play into a reality has helped us overcome all these challenges. This is a fantastic moment for the Football Club and one we should celebrate, but we still have work to do. We’re determined to end this season in first place and lift that trophy in front of our supporters at King Power Stadium on the final day.”
City head to Preston North End on Monday before hosting Blackburn Rovers at King Power Stadium next Saturday – when Maresca hopes the promotion celebrations will be elevated even further by the presence of the Championship trophy on Filbert Way.
The 44-year-old reserved praise for the Foxes faithful, who have played a substantial role in helping their team get over the line – especially over recent weeks. He also paid tribute to the backing of Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and the entire workforce at the Club for helping Leicester clinch their season’s objective.
"My thanks to Khun Top and his family, as well as our players, my staff and our supporters,” he added. “The commitment to our vision and our goals from everyone has been so important in building the spirit and mentality that have brought us this success.
“We’ve had to show determination and character throughout the season, but those things have also given us some unforgettable memories, with, I hope, more celebrations to come.
"All teams can go through challenges in the Championship, so we have needed our supporters to lift us at our toughest times, and as well as being proud of their team, they can take pride in the role they have played in this journey too.
"For the players, they have been amazing. They deserve all the recognition that comes with an achievement like this. I know they are all determined to win our final two games, finish in first place and share the celebrations with our supporters at our final home game."