Newly-appointed Leicester City manager Martí Cifuentes has wasted no time outlining his vision and the reasons behind his move to the King Power Stadium. The Spaniard, who joins from QPR, arrives with a reputation for progressive football and a clear understanding of the task ahead — to restore Leicester’s belief, identity, and competitive edge following a turbulent period.
Cifuentes, speaking in his first interview since taking the role, gave insight into his early impressions and his motivations for accepting the job. Reflecting on his familiarity with the squad, he noted: "We’ve seen a lot of this team, not only because we have faced many of those players two seasons ago, also last season in the FA Cup, but as well we have been watching a lot about the games in the Premier League.”
Straight into training ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/JObMZn8ify
— Leicester City (@LCFC) July 16, 2025
Rebuilding Confidence After a Difficult Season
Cifuentes is acutely aware that tactical familiarity is only part of the challenge. Addressing the psychological aspect of inheriting a squad recovering from a difficult season, he was candid.
"We know about how they performed last season, but at the same time we want to meet them and see where they are mentally. I’m aware that after a difficult season we [need to] recover their self-esteem and the understanding that they are very good football players.”
It’s a telling remark from a coach who values the human side of management. Cifuentes seems focused not just on performances but on rebuilding confidence within a dressing room that lost its way during a tumultuous campaign.
Facilities and Infrastructure Played a Key Role
Leicester’s world-class infrastructure has clearly played a part in enticing Cifuentes. Hailing from Barcelona, a city synonymous with footballing excellence, he expressed admiration for the facilities at his disposal:
"Third, we have one of the best training facilities in the world, a fantastic stadium and there is definitely a lot of things that attracted me. From someone coming from Barcelona, I already knew about Leicester.”
Respect for Leicester’s History and Identity
Beyond the facilities, Cifuentes demonstrated a deep respect for Leicester’s heritage — from its storied past to its modern miracle of Premier League glory in 2016.
"The last two years in the UK helped me to understand more the meaning of the Club, but when you just think about the legends that have played here like Peter Shilton, Gordon Banks, Gary Lineker, it says a lot about the size of this Club and obviously everyone is aware of what happened 10 years ago.”
