Getty Leicester City will take on Villa Wednesday. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Leicester City will host Aston Villa at King Power Stadium in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semifinal Wednesday.
In the United States, the match (3 p.m. ET start time) won’t be on regular TV, but you can watch every Carabao Cup match live on ESPN+:
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ESPN+ is the digital streaming service from ESPN that has exclusive coverage of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup (this is the only place to watch the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in the US), plus other international soccer, other live sports every day, all the 30-for-30 documentaries, and additional original content (both video and written) all for $4.99 per month.
Or, if you also want the new Disney+ streaming service and Hulu, you can get all three for $12.99 per month, which works out to 25 percent savings:
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Once signed up for ESPN+, you can then watch Leicester City vs Aston Villa live on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the ESPN app.
Leicester City vs Aston Villa Preview
Leicester City last played Villa Park on December 8, when they visited Villa, and Leicester won, 4-1. Villa will need to be prepared for a potential offensive onslaught in this one. Leicester have been an excellent team when on the attack of late. Leicester City has 46 goals in 21 games, and they have three consecutive wins entering this game.
Villa’s head coach Dean Smith remembers the cup fondly, and he is looking forward to coaching his team in this one. “Some of my best memories of watching this football club came in this competition, my dad taking me to the 1977 cup final,” Smith said recently. “I know my history about this football club in this competition and I’m excited about leading them in the semi-final.”
Smith also understands that his team will be facing quite a formidable opponent, and he thinks the work his team has been putting in will pay off here. “There’s a real good work ethic and a drive about the players that I want to continue. We’re all looking forward to two really good games against Leicester,” Smith said. “We’ve got to strike the balance between being cautious and trying to win. If you sit back and defend against Leicester, they’ve got players who can hurt you.”
Villa have been vulnerable as a road team, however. They have one road win in their last eight matches.
As for Leicester, coach Brandon Rodgers has his team looking forward, while also being mindful about their history. “I’m aware the club hasn’t been to a final for 20 years so let’s get there then,” Rodgers said recently. “Let’s not be worried too much about the past. Let’s create this new history but we know we’re going to have to play well to get there.”
Daniel Amartey will miss with an ankle injury, and Wes Morgan will also be out with a groin injury, so Leicester City may be a bit short-handed.