Speaking in his post-match press conference, Marcelo Bielsa has stated that he’s decided to play Kiko Casilla in Leeds’ final game of the season.
It was somewhat surprising to see the Spaniard on the teamsheet against Southampton on Wednesday evening, but it seems as though Bielsa has regained some faith in the former Real Madrid man.
The manager says that Casilla has been very generous throughout this season and that he’s now made a concrete decision to play the 35-year-old on the final day.
“Two pros of a high level (Meslier and Casilla). This year has been a lot more difficult for Kiko, but he was very generous,” Bielsa said.
“The fact that Kiko played today and will play on Sunday is a decision that I decided to make concrete.”
This is very interesting to hear.
Meslier looked to be Leeds’ nailed-on number one this season, but right at the end Bielsa has thrown Casilla back in.
Of course, the decision to play Casilla will be a controversial one due to his racism charge last season and the fact that he’s made numerous high-profile errors for Leeds United.
Whether or not Casilla gets more chances in the first-team next season remains to be seen, but Bielsa calling him a ‘high level’ player certainly suggests that the Argentine still rates him as a top talent.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
