Leeds United are third in the Championship table and have caught the eye of the ex-Sevilla and Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli.
Like Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola, Jorge Sampaoli is a committed member of the Marcelo Bielsa fan club. In fact, Argentina’s 2018 World Cup manager might be the closest thing the football world has to the second coming of El Loco.
Though Sampaoli made headlines for all the wrong reasons during Argentina’s disastrous World Cup campaign, the 58-year-old is hugely respected in South America for embodying the high-pressing, high-intensity tactics infamously favoured by Bielsa.
Sampaoli even led a thrilling Chile side to the Copa America title in 2015, something Bielsa never managed to achieve during his four years in charge of the country. So it should be no surprise that Sampaoli is taking a keen interest in his compatriot’s success over in England with Leeds United.
Speaking to Marca, the former Sevilla boss has named the sides he enjoys watching the most and Leeds are among his current favourites.
“I like Sarri’s Chelsea, City of Guardiola, Barça and Madrid always … and Real Betis of (Quique) Setién is interesting. I see La Liga a lot, also for Sevilla,” said Sampaoli, who worked at the Andalusian club in 2016/17.
“I give more priority to La Liga than to others, but I try not to miss the Premiership, the French league, the German league or Serie A. Mexico has attractive things, including Turkish football. I also see Leeds de Bielsa a lot.”
Leeds have won just two of their last seven Championship games, slipping to third in the table as a result. But there is little doubting the improvements they have made since the legendary Bielsa took over at Elland Road.
Few sides in the history of the Championship have played such a daring and free-flowing style.
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