When Leicester City rejoins the Premier League the following season, their only goal must be to escape relegation.
As Leeds’ shocking loss to QPR on Friday night guaranteed City’s spot in the top flight, manager Enzo Maresca has already established his team’s goals for the upcoming season. Nor does the Italian see the team going back to their former, glorius heights.
Before being relegated, City had five straight seasons of top half finishes, during which they won the FA Cup and advanced to the European semifinals. They had won the title just a few years before.
However, Maresca has stated that such are simply memories and not the club’s reality. The goal will be to keep their Premier League status, which could be difficult because they could lose points if they break the Profit and Sustainability Guidelines (PSR).
According to Maresca, City’s financial problems have been a challenging aspect of the season. They caused drama during the January transfer window when a deal to sign Stefano Sensi from Inter Milan fell through, and they may yet force them to sell players in June in an effort to prevent a second PSR violation. The hardest part, though, has been fighting the team’s and the supporters’ beliefs that City is superior than the Championship.
“You need to persuade the players that this is a team that cannot endure in the Championship,” Maresca stated on Friday, prior to the confirmation of City’s elevation. “You must prevail. The January transfer window was very challenging. It has not been easy to deal with the money issues.
“If you ask me, after a year in this group, I may share my thoughts with you. During this club’s most recent existence, significant accomplishments were made. Thus, the people’s memories are of winning the FA Cup and the Premier League.
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