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Ruud van Nistelrooy says one ‘amazing’ thing about Leicester reminds him of Real Madrid
Real Madrid may have endured a difficult start to the season, by their standards, but that is nothing compared to Leicester City’s traumatic return to the Premier League.
Yet, speaking ahead of his King Power Stadium debut against West Ham United on Tuesday night, former Los Blancos striker Ruud van Nistelrooy admits that Real Madrid came to mind when visiting Leicester’s training ground ahead of putting pen to paper with The Foxes.
Leicester City’s £100 million, 185-acre training base – complete with 14 full-size pitches, a golf course and even a fishing lake – is the envy of many clubs throughout the Premier League and European football as a whole.
Former boss Brendan Rodgers previously claimed that Leicester’s training ground would be ‘one of the best in the world’. Conor Coady said back in 2023 ‘the whole complex is unbelievable’.
And while Ruud’s squad may be lacking in a few key areas – Leicester remain very reliant upon their 37-year-old talisman even if Van Nistelrooy is a huge Jamie Vardy fan – at least he has the advantage of being able to utilise some of the most up-to-date, space-age facilities around.
Ruud van Nistelrooy makes Real Madrid comparison with Leicester’s training ground
“It’s amazing,” Van Nistelrooy says, Leicester’s base reminiscent of Real Madrid’s own. “Everybody tells you how great the facilities are [but] it’s hard to believe.
“I met [Carlo] Ancelotti in Madrid last year but, if you changed the logos, it’s similar. It’s an opportunity for the players and young players to get better.”
Saturday’s thumping 4-1 defeat at Brentford means Leicester remain on 10 points, with only two wins to show for their efforts so far.
A home clash with fellow strugglers West Ham – hit for five by half-time against Arsenal last time out – is one of those games Leicester fans will have circled on the calendar as a proverbial ‘six pointer’, however, even if three will do for now.
Van Nistelrooy accepts, meanwhile, that one of his first tasks will be to pick up and repair the shattered confidence of his Leicester charges.
Van Nistelrooy talks January transfers and repairing confidence at Leicester
“That is what needed to be done. Sunday was the first time that I was here. I met the players and staff and everybody who is here,” adds Van Nistelrooy, who beat Leicester 5-2 and 3-0 during his interim spell in charge of Man United.
“I had a meeting with the players and it was the first thing to address. The situation we’re in, the challenge we face and what’s necessary to get out. The results in recent weeks, it’s about reacting. We need clarity in how we’re going to do things.
“With two days it’s difficult to make too many changes, but we have started to make changes on how we want things.
“It manifests in meetings, in drills on the training pitch. It has been a topic of discussion; How can the back four play together with the six [attackers] in front? Who is running, who’s following who, body positions, etc. There’s a lot of detail in there.”
Van Nistelrooy also admits that the potential of January signings was another thing discussed during talks with the Leicester bosses.
“That was a topic of discussion. The two conversations were very open and clear. It’s important to know how things are in the near future and the further future,” the Dutchman says. “January was discussed. The current squad was discussed.
“I have to have a good assessment over the coming weeks ahead of January, giving every player a chance. I’m working with people at the club but I’m looking to bring in other people.”