‘Give team that spark’
IHEANACHO OR DAKA MAY HAVE TO PLAY VARDY’S ROLE TONIGHT
LEICESTER City’s back-up strikers will have to match Jamie Vardy’s energy if the club’s talisman is not able to start the huge clash with Roma.
City boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Vardy will be in the squad for the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg – but would not give away if the 35-year-old was ready to line up from the first whistle.
After overcoming a knee injury, Vardy played 20 minutes off the bench against Aston Villa at the weekend, his first appearance in more than a month.
In fact, Vardy has not played a single one of the club’s Conference League games, against Randers, Rennes or PSV, having also had a hamstring injury earlier in the year.
Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho have been leading the line in his place, and if they do so again, Rodgers has told them they must be the spark for the rest of the team in providing much-needed intensity.
“He’ll be in the squad,” Rodgers said of Vardy.
“It’s the emotion of everyone, not just him.
“For us and how we play, it’s important that the pressing and aggression is there from the top of the field.
“So whoever that is, whether it’s Jamie or someone else, they’ll play a very important role in that.
“Clearly, he’s a top player, everyone sees him in the game.
“He has that streetwise element to his game, he has that cuteness in the game and he has that experience. So that’s a big plus for us.”
Vardy was involved in City’s run to the Champions League quarterfinals, while there are a number of players in the squad who have had long European campaigns with former clubs, including Jonny Evans,
Youri Tielemans, Ricardo Pereira and Timothy Castagne.
That experience is a benefit to City, but Rodgers also appreciates the value brought by players keen to impress in their maiden seasons playing sides from the Continent.
“It’s a great experience for all of the players,” he said.
“Some of those boys have played in European competition before. That helps.
“At the same time, for the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and these guys who it’s a new experience for, when you see his performance level, it’s just another for the team to grow and develop, and another great experience.
“We need that mixture of experience and youthfulness.”