UEFA Conference League: Leicester will be hoping to keep Tammy Abraham at bay just like they did when he played for Chelsea. The youngster was trying to make a mark for the Blues when he last played here but is now a superstar for Mourinho.
Last season, Abraham was on his way to becoming a superstar at Chelsea. Lampard was terminated after a terrible 2-0 loss at Leicester in January 2021, shattering his hopes of finally establishing himself at Chelsea.
After that, the striker only made five starts under replacement Thomas Tuchel. He was even left out of the FA Cup final, which Leicester won 1-0.
After a £34 million summer move to Roma, Abraham, 24, has bounced back in admirable fashion. He has scored 26 goals for Roma so far after his move.
UEFA Conference League: What did Castagne has to say?
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Abraham will be returning for the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final against Leicester on Thursday. However, defender Timothy Castagne claims the Foxes are desperate to keep him quiet.
When asked if he was hoping for a similar conclusion to Abraham’s last visit with an out-of-sorts Chelsea, Castagne replied, “Hopefully, it would be fantastic.”
“At the moment, the entire team was lacking in confidence, and things were not going well. However, I notice that the Roma supporters adore him. He’s doing fantastically well, and keeping him quiet will be a major challenge.
“He bounced back really well, and playing with Roma is a huge accomplishment. When we played them here and then in the FA Cup final and at Stamford Bridge later in the season, I believe there was a significant difference.”
Leicester advanced to the final four with a thrilling last-gasp 2-1 win against PSV Eindhoven. Brendan Rodgers’ side will now play Jose Mourinho’s side. The Italians are looking for their first European title in 61 years.
Castagne, a former Serie A player, predicts a tight first leg because he believes Mourinho has made Roma more cautious.
Castagne on Roma
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“They wouldn’t defend, they would always attempt to move forward,” the eloquent full-back, who joined from Atalanta in 2020, explained. If they do that, it would be beneficial to us because it will be a very open game.”
“With Mourinho, you never know how he’ll play. If they come in and play defense, they still have a lot of big players, so it’s not always easy for them.”
Jamie Vardy, Leicester’s star, and title winner came off the bench in the 71st minute of Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa. After knee and hamstring issues, it was his first appearance in six weeks and only his third of the season. However, the striker is aiming to start on Thursday night.
