Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has claimed not to be familiar with the UEFA Europa Conference League.
The Foxes were demoted to European football's third tier competition following a 3-2 defeat away to Napoli on Thursday evening.
That result saw Leicester condemned to third in Group C of the Europa League, with Napoli and Spartak Moscow finishing above them.
Leicester could have slipped through to the knockout phase of the Europa League, had Legia Warsaw not missed an injury-time penalty at home to Spartak.
Rodgers was asked by BT Sport at the San Paolo if they could now go on and win the Conference League.
"Well I’m not even thinking [about that]. I’ve got to be honest, I don’t even know what the competition is, in all fairness.
"I've got to be honest, I don't even know what the competition is.
"I was focused on the Europa League, winning this group, at the very least finishing second."
Brendan Rodgers admits Leicester must defend better as they prepare to enter the #UECL pic.twitter.com/lsKOhQLd9Q— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 9, 2021
"I was focused on the Europa League, winning this group or at the very least finishing second.
"So with all due respect to the competition, I’m not sure what it is. But I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough."
Leicester were 2-0 down to Napoli midway through the first half, but two goals in six minutes - first from Jonny Evans, and then from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall - saw them achieve parity before half-time.
But a second of the night from Elif Elmas secured the three-points for the Neopolitans.
With 11 goals conceded in their six group games, Rodgers conceded that their defensive frailties cost them dearly.
"Over the course of the six games, we’ve attacked well but we’ve not been good enough defensively," he said, "Offensively very good, but we lacked a determination off the ball to stop them scoring.
"That’s been our downfall this evening, not just tonight but over the course of the competition.”
Rodgers refused to let himself be downhearted by Legia's penalty miss, telling reporters, "It’s about looking after yourself.
"Over the course of the six games, we’re so inexperienced at the level and finding out about the demand of European football.
"There will be positives for the young players, but we haven’t been good enough to qualify. It’s our responsibility and my responsibility. You’ve got to do your own job.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn4DTafZV9A&ab_channel=OffTheBall
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