Leicester Boss Claude Puel Has No Team Selection Regrets Despite League Cup Exit to Man City

Leicester City manager Claude Puel insisted he had no regrets about his team selection, despite crashing out of the League Cup on Tuesday night on penalties to a weakened Manchester City side at the King Power Stadium.

Bernardo Silva's first-half goal put City in the ascendancy for most of the game, but a contentious penalty decision which is likely to see Demarai Gray suspended for diving, allowed Jamie Vardy to hammer home and take the game to extra time. 

Vardy then missed his penalty in the shootout before Claudio Bravo magnificently saved from Riyad Mahrez to take the Sky Blues through to the semi-finals. Puel left Gray, Vardy and Mahrez out from the start and opted for Ben Hamer in goal instead of Kasper Schmeichel. 

He was quoted in his post-match press conference by the Leicester Mercury defending these choices, saying: "I have no regrets about this (the number of changes). I said about my players and the quality they can make on the pitch and we deserved another goal to win. We had more chances than the opponent to win the game.

"For me, it was a fantastic game. It was a fantastic scenario, all the game, until the end. Penalties are penalties. It was not for us. It’s a disappointment. But I have no regrets about our players, our game. 

"All the players gave their best. It was a competitive game between two good teams. It was encouraging for the future. We have to keep this high level of performance. It was a good response after our last game on Saturday."

He defended Gray by admitting he believed it was a penalty and that they perhaps should have had another.

"I think it was a penalty (for the foul on Gray). Perhaps another penalty on Vardy also. I accept the decision. Because the most important thing is to find the good chances and to be clinical with these chances on the pitch. We had a lot of chances tonight.

"We had a yellow card and a red card with Ndidi (for simulation on Saturday). Vardy tonight doesn’t take a yellow card (for the collision with Danilo) because perhaps the referee was not sure if it was penalty or not a penalty. I respect this decision."