Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Jamie Vardy is nowhere near a return to full fitness as the Foxes prepare to face PSV Eindhoven in the quarter final of the Conference League.
Speaking ahead of the tie, which will be played at the King Power Stadium on Thursday evening, Rodgers told the media that all of Wilfried Ndidi, Danny Ward and Ryan Bertrand remain absent through knee injuries of their own, but that Luke Thomas should be fit enough to play some part in the clash if necessary.
The worst news, however, surrounded Jamie Vardy, with Rodgers admitting that he had no idea when his star man would return to the pitch. Vardy has been missing for the Foxes since picking up a knee injury against Leeds United, and could well miss the remainder of the season.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 27: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City reacts during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Leicester City and Southampton at The King Power Stadium on November 27, 2018 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
‘It is hard to put a timeline on it’, Rodgers said. ‘He is still feeling pain within the knee.’
‘He can run and he is outside, but when he is striking the ball there is an issue, so we will have to get to the bottom of that’.
‘I will have to speak to the medical team to see where that is at, but it doesn’t sound as if he is too close to being back.’
Leicester to finish the season strongly?
Rodgers welcomed back defensive trio Wesley Fofana, Jonny Evans and Timothy Castagne as they were unlucky to only come away with a draw against Manchester united at Old Trafford, despite a poor season to date.
And the Leicester boss is confident that this will help them to a strong end to the Premier League and European campaigns.
‘We’re returning to somewhere near the level,’ he explained. ‘We’re still not at that yet, but it’s great to have players back. That allows us to play the game we want to play. I was pleased with our aggression the other day (vs. Man Utd), you have to have that physicality in the game, and that’s returning.
‘That increases the level and the tempo of our football. The form has been getting better, but more importantly the football.’
‘We’re returning to somewhere near the level,’ he continued. ‘We’re still not at that yet, but it’s great to have players back. That allows us to play the game we want to play. I was pleased with our aggression the other day (vs. Man Utd), you have to have that physicality in the game, and that’s returning.
“That increases the level and the tempo of our football. The form has been getting better, but more importantly the football.”
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