PURSUIT OF NAPPYNESS
Leeds’ Lasogga in dash to see baby after staying mum about being dad
PIERRE-MICHEL Lasogga has dedicated his goal against Ipswich to his new daughter... after keeping mum about becoming a dad.
Hit-man Lasogga, who joined Leeds on a seasonlong loan from Hamburg this summer, notched his third goal in four games to put Thomas Christiansen’s table-toppers on the path to victory over Ipswich on Saturday.
But he didn’t tell his team-mates that, 24 hours earlier, he and his partner had become proud parents following the birth of Milou Emilia.
The Elland Road squad found out only when Lasogga asked his manager after the game if he could fly back to Germany for a fleeting visit to be with his girlfriend and the new arrival.
Lasogga, who is back to spearhead United’s attack in tonight’s crunch clash at promotion rivals Cardiff, admitted: ”I don’t really know why I didn’t tell the coach and my team-mates that I had become a father.
“I think maybe it’s because I don’t think about personal things too much.
“I couldn’t get to the birth because it wasn’t easy trying to get a flight so I found out that the baby had arrived only when I picked my mother up at Leeds-Bradford airport on Friday night.
“My goal against Ipswich was for Milou Emilia, that’s the first thing she will know.
“And I was very happy after the game when the coach said I could go to see my baby. It was the perfect weekend for me.”
Leeds are perched proudly in pole position after winning six and losing only one of their first nine Championship outings, but cagey boss Christiansen refuses to get carried away.
He said: ”It is too early to say we are automatic promotion contenders but I have to be happy to be five points clear of seventh place.
“Getting the three points against Ipswich on Saturday – Leeds won 3-2 – shows we can win against good teams and if we beat Cardiff it proves we are in a good way.
“But we have to defend better than we did against Ipswich because Neil Warnock, as a former Leeds manager, will do everything he can to motivate his players.
“For sure he will want the three points. He’ll want to turn his old team over, and it will be a very tough test for us.”