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    Julen Lopetegui fires warning to Wolves players as key man returns for Leicester trip

    Planet Sport writerStaff Writer21 April 2023
    Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui

    Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui

    Julen Lopetegui has told Wolves to forget their past achievements and focus on grasping their survival chance this weekend.

    Julen Lopetegui has warned his Wolves players to forget about their recent wins and focus on the task in hand this weekend, while a key man is also set to return to the side.

    Wolves go to Leicester on Saturday with safety in sight after successive wins over Chelsea and Brentford.
    They are 13th, seven points above the relegation zone, with seven games remaining after being second bottom when Lopetegui was appointed in November.
    He said: "Chelsea and Brentford are finished. This is very important for me and for our players. They have been good results but in the end they've passed.
    "We have put the focus on the future and our future is only Leicester. They have a new coach and he knows the Premier League.

    "Above all, we have to be ready with our answer and be ready to face a big team. This is our expectation."

    Lopetegui also warned against any complacency, adding: "We are talking about the best competition in the world. The hardest competition with high demands. We have to continue because we haven't done anything yet.

    "We have to continue working. To achieve our aim we have to get a lot of points, we have to put the focus on the work we have to do, not the work we've done in the past."

    Skipper Ruben Neves is back to face Leicester after a two-game ban - with Jonny also available following suspension - but with Wolves having won twice in his absence Lopetegui has to decide if the midfielder is given an instant recall.

    "Ruben is a very important player for us. Now he's ready to play and of course it's good news for us, for sure," he told a press conference.
    "He's been a very good player for us all the season. An important player for the dressing room and on the pitch. It's good news for us that Ruben is coming back. After, we are going to choose the best line-up for each match.
    "We are going to try to compete with them. In football you have to do a lot of good things if you want to beat the opponent. We have to be ready to make a competitive team.
    "I am sure there's going to be different parts in the match and we have to be ready to compete."
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