Leicester City’s manager, Enzo Maresca, expresses concern for his players’ well-being as they embark on their second arduous away journey within a short span of four days. The Championship leaders face Plymouth Argyle on Friday, following their return home in the early hours of Wednesday after a defeat by Millwall.
This trip to Plymouth marks Leicester’s longest of the season, spanning 250 miles. Maresca voices his apprehension about his players’ welfare, emphasizing that the demanding schedule takes a toll on their health.
Asked if he was concerned about the welfare of his players, Maresca said: “Absolutely, yes. Absolutely, 100%.”
Talking to BBC Radio Leicester before making the Thursday trip to Devon, he added: “But I don’t think people care too much about players, about healthy players. Otherwise you cannot understand this kind of decision.”
Despite his worries, Maresca acknowledges a perceived lack of consideration for players’ well-being, attributing it to the broader disregard for their physical condition in such decisions.
The fixture against Plymouth will mark Leicester’s 49th game of the season, highlighting the intense workload the players have endured.
Maresca criticizes the English Football League (EFL) for the scheduling of this week’s fixtures, particularly for moving the Plymouth game to accommodate television broadcasters. Leicester and Plymouth stand out as the only EFL sides playing on both Tuesday and Friday, with Leicester traveling for both matches, while Plymouth enjoys home advantage on both occasions.
Maresca highlights the physical and mental strain on his players, exacerbated by the demanding schedule and extensive travel. He defends his team against potential criticism for any drop in performance, emphasizing their humanity and the relentless demands of a grueling season.
“Thanks to the organisation we played on Tuesday night, arrived here at three o’clock in the morning, then today we need to travel and we have five hours back from Plymouth,” Maresca said.”The organisation decided that.”Then if the players don’t perform, they are bad? No, they are not bad, they are human beings and we have played already nearly 50 games this season. They are human beings and people don’t care about that.”We will try to be ready for Friday night to try to finish the season in the best way we can.”
Despite the challenges, Maresca remains focused on finishing the season strongly, aiming to maintain Leicester’s position at the top of the Championship table. However, Ipswich’s draw with Watford on Wednesday has intensified the title race, with both teams now level on points at the summit.