Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez on Friday said the players are living in a "bubble" as they try to win their first ever English Premier League title.
The Algerian has had a great run of form duing the current season, scoring 17 goals.
Asked if he was aware that the whole of Europe is willing that Leicester should win the title, Mahrez said he did not have a clue.
"Not too much, although we feel something is happening in England, but we live a little in our bubble," Mahrez was quoted as saying by the Guardian on Friday.
"We do not have the best players, nor the biggest budget, but our solidarity compels admiration. We had a bit of luck too. It was this year or never. Until January, we did not think of the title. It has become possible, but we will not let it go to our heads."
Earlier this month, Mahrez became the first African international to be named the Professional Footballers' Association's Player of the Year. His team-mates Jamie Vardy and N'Golo Kante were also included in the PFA shortlist. But Mahrez insisted that nothing has changed in the training grounds.
"We were not programmed to become pros. We live with some form of carelessness," he said.
"With N'Golo, we laugh. It's impossible in our history, even if nothing is done. Wes Morgan, our captain, was also discovered belatedly. But frankly, internally, there is no difference between conventional pros and us. It's nice. Jamie Vardy and myself we have fun during matches. With him, it shows on TV more than me, but we're all casual."
Mahrez recalled how he once escaped from a trial at Scottish side St Mirren on a bicycle.
"It was physical and it was cold. We trained in the snow! I felt that I progressed, I wasn"t allowed to go so I left in secret," he said.
"I borrowed a bike so I could get my things I had left at the training ground, before catching a train to the airport and going home."
--IANS
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