Brendan Rodgers and Chelsea have had a topsy turvy relationship. He started his career managing the Chelsea reserves before progressing and eventually managing Liverpool in 2012. It was Chelsea who stunted Liverpool's hunt for a Premier League Title back in 2013, but he eventually got his own back with a move to Leicester City when just last season, the Foxes took the FA Cup trophy away from Chelsea's grasp in the final.
The two teams play each other in Chelsea's last home game once again, and the Foxes boss has nothing but positive things to say about Thomas Tuchel's side. In his pre-match press conference, he says,
"I would go as far as to say they [Chelsea] are the best team we have played this season. When we played them early on in the season, they were at the top of their game. I thought they were outstanding.
Not long after that moment, they lost some players. I've said it before, even with squads like Chelsea's, you need your top players available."
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It's been on the lips of Chelsea fans for a long time that if they had their top players such as Ben Chilwell, N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and others fit, the season would have ended in a different light. The damage had been done with the absence of key players throughout the season. With confirmation from Rodgers, they have once played to a much better standard than that of Manchester City and Liverpool.
"Over the course of the time, they have had players out, key players who make the systems function to the highest level." Rodgers continued. Then obviously, there's the distractions behind the scenes, and of course, that's a challenge."
"But what I do know is they've got an outstanding manager who has done a fantastic job since he's been there. They've got a group of really good players, top, top talents."
For the last two months in Chelsea's calendar, they have faced a level of uncertainty that has visibly hampered their performances in the last stint in their season. The announcement of Todd Boehly is closer than it has been in weeks. It may not be announced before the Foxes, and the Blues meet on Thursday evening, but the progression of the deal should be enough the steady the ship until the end of the season.
It'll be interesting to see how Tuchel's side reacts to yet another FA Cup final loss. They have secured a Champions League spot thanks to Newcastle's win over Arsenal, but that doesn't mean that Rodgers is expecting an easy win.
"I saw them lose in the FA Cup final, but they have so much courage because they keep getting there. And you'd rather be in there and losing finals – of course, you want to win – but you'd rather be arriving there knowing it's going to drop your way and you're going to win in the future.
"So they are a top team, with top players, and they are in the Champions League next season, and I expect them to be up there challenging again next season."
