Considering how well they did last year before suffering an unwelcome collapse towards the end, it isn’t all that surprising to see Leicester City battling for and currently sitting in the top spot in the Premier League.
Brendan Rodgers has managed to build an incredibly competitive team at the King Power Stadium, one mixing experience and youth, with good depth and talented players throughout.
One of those is Dennis Praet, who joined last year, reuniting with his old Anderlecht teammate Youri Tielemans in the process.
The 26-year-old was bought for around £18m from Samdporia, and while he was used relatively sparingly last season, he has been a regular this time around.
Performing well when called upon, Praet is delighted with how the start of the campaign has gone, telling as much to Sport/Foot Magazine on Wednesday.
Most of the interview focuses on the differences between the Premier League and Serie A, where he spent three years before making the leap to England’s top tier.
He said: “Leicester are the club that have allowed me to go up a level. When I had the chance to come here, I didn’t really have to think about it. Leicester have become a great club in the Premier League over the past few years, and when a club like that, in full growth, with a brand new training centre and real ambitions, decide to put their hooks in you, you don’t really have to weigh the positives and the negatives”.
Praet was then asked what had changed the most since he swapped the seaside for Leicester.
He replied: “The two leagues are totally different. In Italy, it’s above all tactic, very organised, whereas here there’s more tempo in the game, from one end to the other, it never stops. At Leicester, I don’t spend two to three days inside focusing on the opposition’s tactic, for example.
“I won’t lie to you, it’s more amusing, more fun, to play in the Premier League, because you’re more in the pleasure, in the game, reflecting less, whereas in Italy, everything is analysed and taken to pieces. To be fair, I think having known Serie A has made me a better football player, but the Premier League makes me happier”.
