Marti Cifuentes praised ‘clinical’ Sheffield Wednesday’s plan to ‘destroy’ his team last season

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Just seven months ago, Sheffield Wednesday absolutely rolled over Marti Cifuentes’ QPR side. Now, everything is very different indeed as the Spaniard takes on the Owls again this weekend.

A lot has changed in the past few months, especially at Sheffield Wednesday, where an ongoing financial crisis has left the club in ruins ahead of the new campaign.

With a new manager, a slew of players leaving the club, and a transfer ban meaning they can’t be replaced, the Owls are favourites to finish bottom of the league this season.

However, not so long ago, under the stewardship of Danny Rohl, they had Marti Cifuentes admitting he and his QPR side were second best. Suffice it to say, he’ll be expecting a different outcome when his new Leicester City team take on Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.

• READ MORE: Leicester City can take inspiration from 2014 win vs Sheffield Wednesday to realise promotion dream

What Marti Cifuentes said after Sheffield Wednesday defeat in January

In a 2-0 defeat at Loftus Road, goals from Michael Smith (now at Preston North End) and Callum Paterson (now at MK Dons) were enough to leave Cifuentes feeling pretty glum at full-time.

Speaking to the press about the result and QPR’s performance, Cifuentes said: “We started the game pretty well without creating a lot of chances against a team we knew would be very physical and tried to destroy our game as much as they can.

“It was not our best second half and they were more clinical than us. Paul Nardi made a good save from the first one but their two goals were a credit to them. Their keeper made a very good save from Ronnie (Edwards) but the final third could have been better.”

Cifuentes also lamented the refereeing decisions on the day, suggesting Sheffield Wednesday produced some clever gamesmanship to help their cause.

“Refereeing should be about protecting the game as well, when there is one team that is trying to be proactive and one that is reactive, and is constantly stopping,” Cifuentes added. “Credit to them, they do it really well, and were clinical, but it seems today there were some situations that could have been reffed in a different way.”

This time around, it’s Sheffield Wednesday who may dislike the referee for the game at the King Power Stadium. Plus, given Leicester’s strength in depth, it’s hard to imagine any other outcome but a humbling at the hands of the Foxes.

• READ MORE: Only two Leicester City FA Cup winners remain as Wilfred Ndidi closes in on £9m transfer

Everything you need to know ahead of Leicester City vs Sheffield Wednesday

While most of the attention should have been on the actual football ahead of this game, many of us have been left wondering whether the game would even go ahead due to Sheffield Wednesday players debating whether to take strike action amid failed payments from Dejphon Chansiri.

It’s said the Owls squad will fulfil the fixture now, but Henrik Pedersen will be taking a threadbare squad to the Midlands for this opening game of the season.

The one shred of hope for Wednesday was the fact that Barry Bannan had agreed to sign a new contract. But, after the EFL rejected that proposal, Pedersen doesn’t even know if Bannan can play this weekend.

Make no mistake, we are firmly expecting a Leicester City win (find out more about that in our Championship score predictions for gameweek one).

The Foxes are tipped to be in the promotion race this season, but the looming threat of a points deduction could harm those chances. Still, a win on the opening day of the campaign would go a long way to easing those worries.