‘Full respect’ for Bielsa after Villa given walk-in goal
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa played down his decision to allow Aston Villa to score an unopposed equaliser in a contentious 1-1 draw in England’s second tier.
The result ended Leeds’ slim chances of snatching automatic promotion from the Championship off Sheffield United on the final day, while Villa’s club record 10-game winning run was also halted.
Leeds took a 72nd-minute lead in controversial fashion through Mateusz Klich after they had refused to kick the ball out of play despite Villa forward Jonathan Kodjia lying prone in midfield.
Villa’s players reacted furiously and in a mass melee that followed, defender Anwar El Ghazi was shown a straight red card by referee Stuart Attwell for swinging an elbow at Patrick Bamford, though the Leeds striker was shown to have fallen to the Elland Road turf without any contact being made.
Chaos ensued as rival players and benches squared off in heated debate before Bielsa instructed his players to allow Villa to walk in an equaliser from the restart, with Albert Adomah tapping home an equaliser.
“The facts are those which everyone could see,” Bielsa said. “What happened happened and we behaved as we behaved. That’s all I can say about something which is very clear. English football is known around the world for its noble features [and it’s] how we play.”
Bielsa appeared angry with defender Pontus Jansson, who clearly did not agree with his manager’s decision as he attempted to stop Adomah scoring.
“Jansson didn’t want to obey the indication I gave,” Bielsa said. “That diminishes my authority and I don’t know what the consequences are when you lose respect from a player.”
Villa manager Dean Smith sympathised with Jansson, but said his players had put the ball out for a throw-in earlier in the game when Adam Forshaw had gone down injured.
Smith, who said Villa would be appealing El Ghazi’s red card, said he gave “full respect to Marcelo and Leeds United” for the decision. “Sportsmanship has prevailed in the end,” he said.
Leeds remain third ahead of next week’s final round of fixtures, three points ahead of West Brom, who have a better goal difference, while Villa, whose play-off place was already assured, can finish no higher than fifth.