Reflecting on Bielsa’s time at the club, Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani admits it was the right decision one year on.
Marcelo Bielsa took over Leeds United in 2018, and within two years he pushed the club to the Premier League. The Whites won the 2019/20 EFL Championship in an impressive campaign, ending a 16-year wait for top flight football.
One year later Leeds parted ways with Marcelo Bielsa, after a string of heavy defeats left the club near the relegation zone, the final straw being a 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham. Leeds eventually escaped relegation that season under new manager Jesse Marsch. The American did not last at the club as he was also sacked just over a year later.
In an interview with The Athletic, Radrizzani spoke on the decision to sack Bielsa:
“The moment I started to have a doubt was [at Villa] when we drew 3-3. I remember the media talking positively about our performance. The reality for me, at half-time I almost wanted to leave the stadium because I was so disappointed by the lack of discipline on the pitch, how easy it was to score against us,”
He also spoke on details within the club on the DAZN podcast:
“The most difficult time was with Bielsa, communicating this [the fact that he was set to be sacked] to him after all he had given but I had realised that psychologically and physically, the team was no longer able to follow him and he is one of those who asks a lot.
“We were in a whirlwind. I made that decision against my wishes and knowing that I would go against Leeds fans, who in fact still hold it against me today. Very difficult but it was the right thing.”