The Portuguese right-back has admitted that he nearly quit the club last summer but decided to stay and get City back to ‘the place they deserved’. Ricardo Pereira considered quitting Leicester City last summer, but stayed to help the club fight back to the Premier League, where they “deserve” to be. The Portuguese international was a significant component as City won the Championship, playing a hybrid role under Enzo Maresca’s system and logging more minutes than he had in the previous three seasons combined. However, he has stated that he nearly left.
Ricardo had offers, but his desire to play a role in City’s comeback to the top flight, combined with the impact of Maresca, led him to stay. Now he’s looking forward to the fight for survival. The right-back told Marca in Spain: “There is no single explanation for City’s relegation.” It was a combination of several things. We had a poor start in the league, and confidence sank, making it difficult to shift the dynamic. We managed to recover, but the World Cup arrived in the middle of the season, and we fell again.
“We attempted to modify things. In your mind, you think, ‘There are many games remaining, and we have a good team.’ You believe that can’t happen, but it did, and it was extremely difficult. It was a huge shock, especially given our previous accomplishments. “I received some offers (last summer), and my first plan was to leave, but as the pre-season began, my mind gradually clicked. I noticed something odd. I liked the team and the new boss. “There was also a part of me that wanted to see Leicester back to their rightful place. It has lifted a weight off my shoulders. It was critical to go up to the Premier League.
“I’m calmer now than I was a year ago. The return (to the Premier League) will be challenging, but I am excited. We have a club that, if we execute things correctly, can have a quiet season.” Ricardo, a £20 million acquisition from Porto in 2018, won City’s player of the year in his debut season, racing down the right side and mixing attacking prowess with defensive solidity. He established himself as one of the Premier League’s top full-backs.
However, an ACL injury the next year forced him to miss time, and he has since developed additional difficulties. That is, until last season, when he started 37 of City’s 46 Championship matches. “It was important to play a full season, without injuries,” he stated. “I don’t know if my current version is better than the 2019 version because I play in different positions and it is difficult to compare but I am closer than ever to my best level.”
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