Enzo Maresca can’t wait to celebrate Leicester City’s Premier League return and Sky Bet Championship title success on Saturday, but also challenged his Foxes side to give everything to reach 100 points.
Dewsbury-Hall To Miss Blackburn, Says Maresca
A victory over Blackburn Rovers in Saturday’s season finale at King Power Stadium will see City become the first team in second-tier history to twice win promotion with a century of points – after they registered 102 back in 2013/14.
Maresca’s men have also equalled a Club record for 31 league wins in a single season (also 2013/14), while one more would see them match Tottenham Hotspur’s 32 second-tier league wins, a landmark dating back 104 years to 1919/20.
Ahead of the final-day bout with Rovers, who may need points themselves to survive, Maresca first took stock on the achievements of recent weeks and the celebrations which followed.
The Manager wants to savour the occasion on Saturday, but knows there are points to play for.
The Italian wants his players to savour the celebrations, as they have over the past week since promotion was confirmed, but also remain professional ahead of facing Blackburn. Three days after their Premier League return was sealed, the Foxes were 3-0 winners at Preston North End to clinch the title, and Maresca is hoping for a similar showing on Saturday.
“We continue to enjoy the moment,” he told reporters on Friday. “You have to enjoy. As I’ve said already, when you work every day to achieve something and then you are able to achieve it, you have to celebrate.
“We’re enjoying the moment. I encourage [them to celebrate] but, at the same time, there is a limit. We have a game tomorrow. It was the same for Preston after QPR beat Leeds. We celebrated but we had a game against Preston.
“There is a time to do everything but you have to be able to manage it. It’s a fantastic moment. I’ve enjoyed it a lot. Now probably, because there’s so many things happening in the last week, you don’t realise [everything] 100 per cent.
“Probably next week, when we’re all off, we’ll realise [the significance of the achievement] even better.”
The occasion on Saturday will be made all the more special because Leicester City’s players will share Saturday’s trophy lift with the supporters, says Maresca.
“Especially because it’s at home, in front of our people in our stadium,” he added. “We saw already, during this season, the environment in our stadium when we needed it. I think it’ll be a good moment for the fans, the Club, the players, the coaching staff – all of us in involved in Leicester, tomorrow will be a nice day.”
‘Blackburn have been unlucky’
John Eustace
John Eustace’s Rovers are not yet 100 per cent certain of Championship survival.
Maresca is not in any doubt that Blackburn will pose a tough challenge for the title-winning Foxes on Filbert Way. John Eustace’s men go into the final day in a commanding position in the battle for survival, but may need a point to stay up.
“It’s a team that, in this moment, they’re playing to survive,” the Manager continued. “This is the first thing that we need to be aware of. They’ll be 100 per cent. At the same time, I think they have been a bit unlucky this season.
“They have a good team with good players. They changed manager. The previous one, for me, was doing good work. This one also is trying. It’s not easy. They are trying to do good work, but they’ve been a little unlucky. They are still there and trying to stay in the Championship and we’ll see tomorrow.”
While Blackburn have their own objectives, Maresca is focused solely on City’s motivations – reaching 100 points.
“It could be something important for sure, to reach 100 points,” he explained. “Also someone mentioned that, since the Championship [was formed, replacing the old First Division], not one team has won 32 games.
“The maximum is 31, so we also have a chance to win one more game and to be the only team winning 32 games. It’s always a good feeling to win games, so we’re going to try tomorrow.”
‘Overall, it’s been very good’
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
It’s been a season to remember for the title-winning Leicester City squad.
Asked to pick out his highlight of the campaign, Maresca instead opted to speak generally, talking about the difficult nature of turning a club around after relegation. To see City stand up to the test and get over the line, he’s especially proud.
“When you join a club that has just been relegated, it’s not easy,” the former Parma manager said.
