Leicester Manager Amandine Miquel Aims for Surprises Against Chelsea

Leicester, currently tied on points with Crystal Palace at the bottom of the WSL, will face Chelsea this weekend. Manager Amandine Miquel expressed her intention to “spice it up” for the upcoming Women’s Super League fixture. Miquel’s seven-year tenure at French club Reims led to her acquaintance with Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor, who previously managed Lyon. The two French coaches are set to compete again on Saturday, with Miquel aiming to fulfill Bompastor’s expectation of encountering surprises. Miquel reflected on past encounters, stating, “It’s true. Over the years in France when we played Lyon we tried to spice it up a bit and throw some surprises to make it not nice for them. With Chelsea, why not?” She further commented on their strategy, “We will see. We have a few strange ideas and we will see if we try them or not. We have some options.” Regarding her opponent, Miquel noted, “[Bompastor] is a manager that I know well because I played her a lot in France and before she was manager at Lyon, she was the head of the academy.” She acknowledged the challenge, adding, “It doesn’t make it easier. To prevent [Chelsea] from having a very good day will need us to give 200% and to be running a lot.” Additional points from Miquel’s news conference included: Miquel indicated that players would receive a “long time off” during the winter break to facilitate “physically and mentally” recovery. She conceded that the team has experienced a “hard” period, securing only one victory in nine matches, which places them level on points at the bottom of the WSL table. Leicester has been significantly affected by injuries, and Miquel stated that while in an “ideal world” all her players would be fit by January, this outcome is not anticipated. She conveyed her hope that her squad would demonstrate their capabilities against Chelsea, concluding the match with “no regrets and feeling that we gave everything.”