Leeds United travel to Leicester City on Sunday afternoon, as the Whites look to build on their victory over Newcastle United  last time out in the Premier League.

Marcelo Bielsa's men claimed a first win in three in all competitions against the Magpies and they will go into the clash with the Foxes full of confidence.

Bielsa spoke to the media ahead of the fixture and he had this to say.

  • Team News

Leeds will be without defender Diego Llorente after he went off injured early on against Newcastle on Tuesday evening and the Argentine spoke about his injury: "It’s a muscular injury and he’s going to be out of the team for three or four weeks,"  he said.

Bielsa also touched upon if his side had any other injuries to report saying: "After every game there is always knocks."

"As the game gets closer we find out severity and if they are able to play in this game or not.

At the moment there are no players with any important injuries." he added.

  • What kind of threats do Leicester pose without Jamie Vardy in their side?

The Whites opponents Leicester City will be without striker Jamie Vardy, who is recovering from an hernia operation, and on Wednesday they played a very different way against Everton at Goodison Park and Bielsa spoke about the threats that the Foxes have to offer minus Vardy.

"In the game against Everton they were the protagonists throughout," he explained. 

"They had a style where they circulated the ball very quickly and a very marked offensive style.

They played to try and attack and to position themselves in the opposition’s half." he continued.

  • Thoughts on how Raphinha has settled into life at Elland Road and English football

Leeds United winger Raphinha has been a bit of a mixed bag since he arrived at Elland Road from Stade Rennais in the summer, however, in recent weeks he has seemed to have upped his game and found the form he had shown in the earlier parts of the season and Bielsa gave his assessments on how he's settled into English football and life at Elland Road.

"Similar to the way the team has played with highs and lows," the former Argentina boss revealed. 

"Obviously some highs and some lows. The characteristics of Raphinha coincide with the demands of the Premier League." 

  • Alioski's contract is up in the summer and would you like him to stay and sign a new contract?

Defender Ezgjan Alioski had been in and out of the side in the opening few weeks of the season, however, in recent weeks has been a big part of the squad and team as the Whites look to stay in the Premier League this season.

The North Macedonian international, 28, is out of contract in recent weeks and rumours have been circling the media regarding his future, with a report in Turkey saying that Alioski had "agreed" to join Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray S.K. and Bielsa gave an update on the latest with Alioski: "I’m only one opinion in regards to the equation or evaluation of whether Alioski stays or not," he said. 

"First and foremost, the most important thing is that he wants to stay, I think when it comes to a player staying at a club the first thing, the most important thing is that the player wants to stay," he continued. 

"The player should choose the club and after the club will decide whether they want him.

"But the main condition, the most important thing is the player wanting to stay, I think if Alioski chooses Leeds, Leeds will choose Alioski."

  • Is there any key lessons from Leicester fixture in November you can take into the game on Sunday?

When the sides last met in November at Elland Road, it was Brendan Rodgers' men that ran out 4-1 winners and Bielsa was asked if there was any key lessons from that game and what does the Whites need to do  to avoid doing the same as they did at Elland Road at the King Power Stadium on Sunday.

"The games are not comparable," he explained. 

"The reality of teams changes on a weekly basis. The corrections that each team wishes to make are not linked to the next opponent but to the effects of the production that the team has," he concluded.

VAVEL Logo
About the author