HULL, ENGLAND - JULY 20: Ricardo Pereira of Leicester City reacts during the Pre-Season Friendly between Hull City and Leicester City at MKM Stadium on July 20, 2022 in Hull, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Leicester City’s squad traveled to Abu Dhabi for their mid-season warm-weather training camp as the World Cup continued. Brendan Rodgers oversaw the squad, which included a mix of youth and first-team players, as he prepares for the start of the 2022-23 club season.
Following the camp, Rodgers provided an update to the media on the fitness of his squad, as well as the latest on long-term absentee Ricardo Pereira. The manager gave a positive assessment of the Portuguese’s recovery, noting that he is “quite a way down his path.”
Ricardo has missed the entirety of the season with a serious Achilles injury suffered in the pre-season victory over Sevilla. The seven-time Portugal international traveled with the squad to Abu Dhabi but was seen only doing individual training, not quite ready for integration back into team sessions.
Now 29, his Achilles is one of three major setbacks the defender has suffered in the last three years, meaning he has only played in 29 of Leicester’s last 100 games. Cruelly, the timing of his injuries has seen him miss both the Euros and the World Cup. By the time Euro 2024 comes around, he will be approaching 31 and will be hoping to have had a good run of games to return to the international stage.
Still, his focus will now be on getting himself fit for the remainder of the season. Whilst the games in December will come too soon for him, we should see his comeback in the new year.
One notable face who wasn’t at the camp was Turkish defender Caglar Soyuncu. Currently, at home injured, the 26-year-old hasn’t been trusted by Rodgers this season and has only started two games in all competitions. Once a frequent starter, Soyuncu is now, at best, the fourth choice at center back, behind Wout Faes, Jonny Evans, and an out-of-position Wilfred Ndidi.
Cags’ fall from grace has meant he has been on the verge of an exit from the King Power for a few years but, as exclusively reported by Foxes of Leicester, Soyuncu will finally depart LCFC this season – whether that be in the winter window, or upon the expiry of his contract in June.
There was one other injury to report from the training camp, young prospect Lewis Brunt has encountered ‘physical issues’ according to Rodgers, and is fighting to be fit again ahead of the resumption of the season. Formerly an Aston Villa youth player, Brunt has made two senior appearances for Leicester City in the base of midfield. Brunt will be hoping to gain fitness in time for the upcoming Carabao Cup tie at MK Dons.
Meanwhile, both James Justin and Ryan Bertrand continue to be long-term absentees. Justin’s recent Achilles injury will see him miss all but the remainder of the season, whilst Bertrand’s knee issue continues to keep him out of the side with no expected return date.
As for their World Cup players, James Maddison has recovered from the injury that kept him out of England’s opening two group games. Maddison is Leicester’s only player left in the World Cup, but his chances of appearing in the tournament, let alone starting a game, are increasingly slim as the competition goes on.
Other than him, no other Leicester players have faced injury setbacks in the competition and will come back to Seagrave aiming to help the Foxes further climb the table and keep their previous momentum going. LCFC returns to action on December 20th for the next round of the aforementioned Carabao Cup and then host Newcastle for the restoration of the Premier League on Boxing Day.
