Why 4 stars were left at home for Leicester’s UEL game

Four stars have been left at home instead of traveling with the Leicester City Europa League squad ahead of the Zorya Luhansk game in Ukraine.

I’m positive that you are aware, but Leicester City have already progressed to the next round of the Europa League after three wins and a draw last Thursday at SC Braga, in Portugal. That always meant some experienced, vital and ageing Foxes stars would be rested as the final two fixtures are completed.

First of all, Leicester meet Zorya Luhansk in Ukraine on the same day this week; when the two sides met at King Power Stadium, the east Midlands team were triumphant by a 3-0 scoreline. Harvey Barnes, James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho applied the finishes for the Foxes that evening.

And that trio have traveled with the Leicester matchday squad to face the Ukrainians. However, a foursome that won’t be playing, is: Jamie Vardy, Jonny Evans, Kasper Schmeichel and Youri Tielemans.

Reasons for Leicester City omissions

Some people will be mildly surprised that Schmeichel, being Brendan Rodgers’ immoveable No.1 choice goalkeeper, is not going to feature. Yet, the very fact that he has and will be playing every important match from for the foreseeable future, is exactly why he deserves and is rightly offered respite.

Talisman Vardy, 33, is an obvious candidate for a truly earned rest. While Rodgers likes to have Tielemans start each and every single Leicester outing for consistency reasons, in reality the Belgian needs a break.

Rodgers oddly said that Evans was their outstanding performer in the unbelievably poor loss to Fulham at home. If the Northern Ireland international was that, with the disappointing display he produced, then it is worrying.