Leeds United and Aston Villa played out a 1-1 draw, but there was a lot of controversy at Elland Road.
Dean Smith has told Sky Sports’ live post-match coverage of Leeds’ Championship clash with Aston Villa (broadcast on 28/4 from 11:30) that Mateusz Klich apologised to him after the full-time whistle for scoring the incredibly controversial opening goal at Elland Road.
It appeared the game between the two promotion-chasers would end goalless as both teams struggled to really test the opposition goalkeeper. But Leeds broke the deadlock with 18 minutes remaining as Klich curled the ball into the bottom corner.
The goal infuriated the visitors as they wanted the ball to put out of play as Jonathan Kodjia lay injured inside the centre-circle. Leeds carried on playing, with Tyler Roberts slowing down play as if he was going to put the ball out only to slide Klich in down the line.
The incident sparked some fiery scenes on the pitch and on the bench. Anwar El Ghazi was sent off after Patrick Bamford produced perhaps the most shameful moment of the entire incident.
But once everything seemed to have calmed down, Bielsa instructed his players to let Villa equalise. And despite Pontus Jansson attempting to deny the visitors, Albert Adomah was able to level the score once again.
It appears to have been an incident that has divided Leeds supporters, with some pointing out that the Whites did not have to kick the ball out while others were glad to see Bielsa make the call that Villa should be allowed to score.
And after the game, Smith praised Bielsa, while he also shared what Klich said after the full-time whistle.
“Tyler Roberts should probably put the ball out. Everybody stops. He doesn’t. We’ve just done for their lad when we were attacking. Klich has just apologised to me after the game, said ‘I shouldn’t have done that, it’s wrong’,” he told Sky Sports.
“But every credit to Leeds United and Marcelo Bielsa for giving us the opportunity to put that right.”
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