Alisha Lehmann suffers defeat against former club on WSL debut for Leicester City with relegation battle now on the cards

Lehmann left Como for Leicester in the January transfer window after just five months with the Serie A Femminile side. The Switzerland international has penned a contract until 2028 and her arrival at Leicester will be seen by many as something of a coup. Lehmann previously spent time in the WSL with West Ham, Everton and Aston Villa before moving on to Juventus and she admitted before the game it's great to be back, saying: "It feels amazing and I’m so happy to be here. It feels like a homecoming, coming back to England, and I’m really happy. Leicester are an amazing club. I’ve seen the training ground and, of course, the stadium. They want to push women’s football forward. In every country, football is so different. You meet new people and learn different things about football. I learned a lot and played with some great players, but England is my home so I’m happy to be back."

Lehmann would have been hoping to make a winning return to the WSL but tasted defeat on Sunday as the Foxes were beaten by West Ham. The Hammers picked up their first away win of the season at the King Power Stadium, with goals from Verena Hanshaw and Shekiera Martinez securing the three points. Lehmann came off the bench in the second half in the match and did have an impact, pressuring Eva Nystrom to bundle the ball into the back of her own net to make it 2-1. Leicester pressed for an equaliser but couldn't find that all important second goal as they slumped to an eighth defeat from 13 WSL games so far in 2025-26.

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Lehmann and Leicester will now need to bounce back, with the 27-year-old having told the club's media she is hopeful her experience can help the team. She said: "It will be amazing to play here. I’ve just seen the pitch and it looks so beautiful; I can’t wait to play here and show everyone what I’m capable of what I can do. What makes me happy in life is football. It’s not about where I live or the climate I’m in, but playing because we have one career, and I want to make the most out of it. It’s amazing to be the first women’s Swiss player for the club and I’m happy about this. I’m going to have to bring some Swiss cheese and food in for my team-mates. I hope I can bring my experience to the team but also learn a lot from them. I hope we can be successful, and enjoy the winning mentality when it comes, always wanting more. I’m so excited to put the shirt on and play with pride for the Club and meet the fans. I’m excited for the future."

Leicester now face a battle to stay in the top flight but their fixture list is not for the faint hearted. The Foxes head to European champions Arsenal next and then welcome high-flying Manchester United to the King Power Stadium. After that, it's a visit to WSL leaders Manchester City before Leicester head to bottom side Liverpool in what will surely be a must-win in their battle to avoid the drop.